Free Republic

An 18-year-old Chicago-area man accused of planning to join an al Qaeda-linked group fighting in Syria has been arrested by the FBI, the agency said on Saturday. Abdella Ahmad Tounisi of Aurora, Illinois, was taken into custody late on Friday as he prepared to board a plane at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport bound for Turkey, the FBI said in a statement. It added that Tounisi was a friend of Adel Daoud, an American accused of trying to stage a bombing outside a downtown Chicago bar last year. The agency said Tounisi had not been involved in that plot. Tounisiappeared before...

An 18-year-old Aurora man was arrested Friday night before he tried making his way to Syria to join a ‘jihadist militant’ group, federal authorities said. Abdella Ahmad Tounisi was taken into custody without incident late Friday at O’Hare Airport by members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as he attempted to board a flight destined for Istanbul, Turkey, according to the FBI’s Chicago office. Tounisi, a U.S. citizen, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel G. Martin Saturday for allegedly attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. He appeared on Saturday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tounisi,...

An 18-year-old Aurora man with ties to a 2012 foiled bombing attempt in Chicago was ordered held without bail today after being arrested as he was about to travel to the Middle East to join al-Qaida, officials said today. Abdella Ahmad Tounisi of Aurora appeared in U.S. District Court after being arrested Friday at O'Hare International Airport as he was to get on an airplane to Istanbul, Turkey, FBI officials said in a press release. Tounisi, a U.S. citizen, was charged with knowingly attempting to provide material support and resources, namely personnel, to a foreign terrorist organization, a felony. According...