A Madison man has been charged with trying to travel to Syria or Iraq to aid the self-described Islamic State terrorist group.
The complaint against 34-year-old Joshua Ray Van Haften is based on interviews with several people including former roommates and associates. They told the FBI that Van Haften talked repeatedly about wanting to travel to Syria or Iraq. The criminal complaint against Van Haften also cites his Facebook page where he “liked” ISIS propaganda videos and threats of attacks on American soil.
U.S. Attorney John Vaudreuil said Van Haften did more than just talk.
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“It is not a crime, as we all know, to say even things that we say are horrible about support for other terrorist organizations. It is a crime when you take substantial steps to try and make that come true,” Vaudreuil said.
In this case, Van Haften followed through, traveling to Turkey and attempting to cross the border into Syria. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
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