Chris Lange, FISM News
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A Kentucky man linked to ISIS has been charged with aiding a “designated foreign terrorist organization.” The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs on Monday issued a press release detailing a Kentucky federal court’s indictment of Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 31, of Bowling Green, on charges that he and two co-conspirators provided “material support” to the Islamist terror group and participated in an ISIS military training camp.
According to the statement, 31-year-old Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, a U.S.-Bosnian citizen, and two unnamed co-conspirators traveled to Syria in 2014 to join ISIS. Ramic was arrested June 3, 2014. Until Monday, court documents in the case had been sealed.
The FBI obtained information that Ramic had taken part in an ISIS training camp where he was provided with weapons, including an AK-47. Agents had in their custody a photo of Ramic “wearing camouflage clothing and standing in front of a pickup truck outfitted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag,” while another image shows him carrying a rifle.
Following their training, Ramic and the other two men joined ISIS and continued to remain in contact with one another. Intercepted communications led to the discovery that Ramic was staying in Raqqa, Syria, where he told the others he had used anti-aircraft weaponry to “shoot at planes.”
According to the DOJ’s statement, the three men “discussed jihad, martyrdom and fighting for ISIS.” At one point, one of the co-conspirators sent two, separate email messages to an unnamed recipient at Western Kentucky University “stating that he had traveled to Syria to join ISIS and expressing his desire that ISIS conquer the United States.”
Ramic, who has been incarcerated in Turkey since his arrest, was deported to the U.S. on Thursday to appear in court. The case against him is being prosecuted by attorneys for the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. If convicted, Ramic could be sentenced to a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison and fines of up to $750,000. A federal district court judge will issue a sentencing determination at a later date.
The case is still being investigated by the FBI. No additional information was provided as to Ramic’s co-conspirators.