DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — The FBI has charged a Durham man with attempting to join ISIS, a recently-unsealed court document shows.
Alexander Justin White, 29, also known as Sulaiman Al-Amriki, is charged with providing, attempting, and conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to a criminal complaint filed in United States District Court. The complaint says White currently lives in Durham.
The complaint alleges White used his Facebook account to make frequent posts supporting ISIS in 2024. He went on to express his desire and intention to travel overseas and join ISIS in direct messages to various individuals, including an undercover FBI agent. In the messages, he pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS, discussed fighting against the U.S. Military and American citizens, and becoming a mujahid, the court filing said.
During his conversations with the undercover agent, as alleged in the complaint, White spoke about his plans to travel to Africa to join ISIS, while also acknowledging his concerns about being caught. He went on to purchase a flight from Raleigh Durham International Airport to Paris, which would be followed by a flight to Rabat in Morocco, the FBI said.
On Dec. 4, White attempted to board a flight to Paris at RDU and was arrested by the FBI, according to the complaint.
“White’s many online conversations with various persons, as well as his communications with the [FBI] display a longstanding intent and desire to join ISIS, which he prepared for and attempted on Dec. 4,” the complaint reads. “He expressly acknowledges awareness of ISIS as a designated foreign terrorist organization and repeatedly expressed concern over being caught by law enforcement and the efforts he was taking to avoid capture.”
