Halima Salman Guilty in NY of ISIS Military Training
The 27-year-old woman received a verdict Tuesday after being held in a Syrian camp for years.
By Nathan Brooks ·
A federal jury in New York found Halima Salman guilty on Tuesday of receiving military training from the Islamic State. The 27-year-old woman faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the charge.
Salman moved to ISIS-held territory in Syria in 2016 at the age of 17. She traveled with her parents and eight siblings. The indictment states she married a combatant in the organization. By the time she turned 18, prosecutors say she had been trained and armed. She then joined an ISIS battalion.
The case is the first time a U.S. citizen has been tried in court on these specific charges. Another American woman who commanded an ISIS battalion pleaded guilty in 2022 without a trial. Federal prosecutors say only 83 Americans successfully joined the group in Iraq or Syria, according to a 2022 report from George Washington University.
Salman was not charged with fighting in combat. The government prosecuted her for receiving training from a foreign terrorist organization. She and several family members were captured by Syrian fighters in 2019. They were held in a detention camp for several years.
Salman returned to the United States in 2024. Law enforcement officers arrested her immediately upon her arrival. Her defense attorney, Samuel Jacobson, argued that she was a victim of her stepfather's decision to move the family to Syria when she was a minor. Jacobson also described the marriage as arranged.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella issued a statement following the verdict. He said the Islamic State tore apart Syria and sowed chaos worldwide. Nocella stated his office will continue to prosecute those who supported the group's rule.
The court has not yet set a date for sentencing. The jury's decision concludes the trial phase of the case. Salman remains in custody while awaiting the judge's ruling on her punishment.
