American woman trained with ISIS

Halima Salman was 17 when she left the United States for Syria. She entered ISIS controlled territory in late 2016 or early 2017. When she turned 18, she received training from ISIS. After she completed this training, she became a member of an all-female battalion. Salman insinuated that she was just married to an ISIS fighter. However, that fighter’s phone had pictures of Salman doing ISIS activities.

From CNN:

According to court documents, Salman, who was 17 years old at the time, left the United States and entered an ISIS-controlled area of Syria around late 2016 or early 2017. Once she turned 18, prosecutors say, Salman received her training from ISIS. She was captured by or surrendered to “forces opposed by ISIS” about two years later in Baghouz, Syria.

In 2023, Salman was interviewed by FBI agents at a detention facility in Syria, court documents show. She allegedly told agents that she had married an ISIS fighter but denied being involved in any ISIS activities.

The FBI, however, obtained information from a phone found in the Middle Euphrates River Valley in Syria — a phone they claim belonged to Salman’s husband. The phone’s photo library had pictures of a document saying that Salman had completed her military training successfully and was in possession of an AK-47, prosecutors say, adding that the document was stamped with a signature indicating that it was issued by an ISIS military battalion composed solely of female members of ISIS.

Additional Reading:

Rabinowitz, H., (2024, May 7). American woman repatriated from Syria accused of training with ISIS. CNN. Link.

Category: "Teh Stoopid", Crime, Isis