Defendant, a Former Avionics Specialist, Travelled from
Egypt to Turkey in an Attempt to Cross the Border to Syria to Join ISIL
U.S. Attorney Loretta E. Lynch of the Eastern District of
New York, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin,
Assistant Director in Charge Diego G. Rodriguez of the FBI’s New York Field
Office and Commissioner William J. Bratton of the New York City Police
Department announced that yesterday, a federal grand jury in New York City
returned a two-count indictment charging Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, an
American citizen and veteran of the U.S. Air Force, with attempting to provide
material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a foreign
terrorist organization, and obstruction and attempted obstruction of
justice. The defendant will be arraigned
on the indictment tomorrow, March 18, at 11 a.m. before U.S. District Judge
Nicholas G. Garaufis of the Eastern District of New York.
“Born and raised in the United States, Pugh allegedly turned
his back on his country and attempted to travel to Syria in order to join a
terrorist organization,” said U.S. Attorney Lynch. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute
extremists, whether based here or abroad, to stop them before they are able to
threaten the United States and its allies.”
U.S. Attorney Lynch extended her grateful appreciation to the FBI’s
Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), which comprises a large number of federal,
state, and local agencies from the region.
U.S. Lynch also thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S.
Attorney’s Office of the District of New Jersey, the Asbury Park, New Jersey
Police Department and the Neptune, New Jersey, Police Department for their
assistance.
“Pugh, an American citizen and former member of our
military, allegedly abandoned his allegiance to the United States and sought to
provide material support to ISIL,” said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. “Identifying and bringing to justice
individuals who provide or attempt to provide material support to terrorists is
a key priority of the National Security Division.”
“As alleged, Pugh, an American citizen, was willing to
travel overseas and fight jihad alongside terrorists seeking to do us harm,”
said Assistant Director in Charge Rodriguez.
“U.S. citizens who offer support to terrorist organizations pose a grave
threat to our national security and will face serious consequences for their
actions. We will continue to work with
our partners, both here and abroad, to prevent acts of terrorism. This investigation demonstrates the
importance of law enforcement coordination and collaboration here and around
the world.”
“We thank the members of the NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force
and our Federal law enforcement partners for their work in this case and for
their tireless efforts to identify threats of terrorism here and abroad,” said
Commissioner Bratton. “It is this type
of collaboration that results in swift investigative work to stop individuals
such as this from making any further contribution to terrorist organizations
such as ISIL.”
As alleged in the complaint, indictment and other court
filings, the defendant served in the Air Force as an avionics instrument system
specialist and received training in the installation and maintenance of
aircraft engine, navigation and weapons systems. After leaving the Air Force, the defendant
worked for a number of companies in the United States and Middle East as an
avionics specialist and airplane mechanic.
The defendant lived abroad for over a year before his arrest in this
case.
Earlier this year, weeks after being fired from his last job
as an airplane mechanic based in the Middle East, the defendant attempted to
join ISIL. On Jan. 10, 2015, the
defendant traveled from Egypt to Turkey in an effort to cross the border into
Syria to join ISIL and fight violent jihad.
Turkish authorities denied the defendant entry, however, and sent him on
a return flight to Egypt. Upon his
arrival in Egypt, the defendant was carrying multiple electronic devices,
including four USB thumb drives that had been stripped of their plastic casings
and an iPod that had been wiped clean of data.
The defendant also had a cellular telephone that contained, among other
things, a photograph of a machinegun.
The defendant was soon thereafter deported to the United States.
On Jan. 14, 2015, JTTF agents obtained a search warrant for
the defendant’s electronic devices, including his laptop computer. Subsequent exploitation of the laptop
revealed, among other things, the following:
recent internet
searches for “borders controlled by Islamic state”,
recent internet
searches for “who controls kobani,” “kobani border crossing,” and “jarablus
border crossing,” all references to Syrian cities under ISIL’s control near the
Turkish border,
a chart of
crossing points between Turkey and Syria indicating the areas on the Syrian
side of the border controlled by ISIL and other groups, and
internet searches
for “Flames of War,” an ISIL propaganda video, as well as downloaded videos,
including one showing ISIL members executing prisoners.
The defendant was arrested pursuant to a federal complaint
on Jan. 16, 2015, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and he has been in custody ever
since. After the defendant’s arrest,
JTTF agents seized and later obtained warrants to search two backpacks that the
defendant had when he was overseas.
Agents recovered from the backpacks, among other things: two compasses,
a solar-powered flashlight, a solar-powered power source, shards of broken USB
thumb drives, a fatigue jacket and camping clothes.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 35
years in prison. The charges in the
indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent
unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Samuel P. Nitze and Tiana A. Demas, with assistance provided by Trial
Attorneys Larry Schneider and Andrew Sigler of the National Security Division.
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