United States charges Trinidad-born man, son for alleged ISIS links

FLORIDA (CMC):

The United States has laid charges against two people, including a 53-year-old born Trinidad and Tobago national, who were detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and recently transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The authorities said that Emraan Ali, 53, a US citizen born in Trinidad and Tobago, was charged in a complaint with providing and attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Jihad Ali, 19, a US citizen born in New York, was charged in a complaint with conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS.

Both defendants made their initial appearances in federal court on Wednesday.

According to the criminal complaints, in March 2015, Emraan Ali travelled to Syria with his family, including his son, Jihad Ali, to join ISIS. Both men were said to have received military and religious training and served as fighters in support of the terrorist organisation.

In addition to serving as a fighter, Emraan Ali reportedly served in various other roles in support of ISIS.

The men finally surrendered to the SDF near Baghuz in March 2019, during the last sustained ISIS battles to maintain territory in Syria, according to the complaint.

“A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” a statement issued by the United States Department of Justice emphasised.