American-born IS fighter convicted of terrorism by US court

WASHINGTON, United States (Kurdistan24) – An American-born Islamic State (IS) fighter who surrendered to Peshmerga forces last year has been convicted of terrorism by a US court on Wednesday.

Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 27, traveled to Syria to become a suicide bomber for the insurgent group.

Originally from Virginia, United States, the 27-year-old spent nearly two months in 2016 traveling with IS fighters in Syria and Iraq.

According to a US Justice Department statement, Khweis was convicted for “providing material support” to the militant group.

He was detained by Kurdish Peshmerga forces in March 2016, near the city of Sinjar (Shingal), before being turned over to US authorities.

A jury at the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, convicted Khweis of three charges, which included “providing and conspiring to provide support to [IS] and a firearm count.”

He faces a ruling of five years to life in prison at his sentencing on Oct. 13, 2017.

In an exclusive interview with Kurdistan24 after his surrender, Khweis described his regret for joining the insurgent group.

“I made a bad decision [to go to Mosul],” he told Kurdistan24. “At the time I made the decision, I was not thinking straight.”

He also mentioned the good treatment he received in the hands of the Kurds when he reached the Peshmerga frontlines in Shingal.

“I wanted to go to the Kurds’ side because I know that they are good with the Americans,” Khweis said. “When I met with the Kurds, they treated me very well.”

When he was caught, US security experts praised the Kurdish forces and described the 27-year-old as a potential “intelligence goldmine.”

“He could provide a window into the [IS] command structure,” a former US security official stated at the time.

Editing by G. H. Renaud