A Kentucky man, Mirsad Ramic, has been convicted by a federal jury in Louisville on charges of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The 34-year-old resident of Bowling Green traveled to Syria nearly a decade ago to join the extremist group, receiving military training and participating in combat operations.
According to the Department of Justice, Ramic left the United States in June 2014, traveling with two co-conspirators to Istanbul, Turkey. The trio abandoned their initial travel plans and headed to Gaziantep, near the Turkish-Syrian border, before crossing into Syria to join ISIS. Ramic, a dual U.S.-Bosnian citizen, received military training at an ISIS camp and joined a fighting unit primarily composed of Bosnian foreign fighters. He participated in an ISIS offensive in Kobane, Syria.
Evidence presented at the trial included a photograph of Ramic wearing camouflage and standing in front of a truck mounted with an anti-aircraft gun and the ISIS flag. Additionally, Ramic discussed jihad, martyrdom, and shooting at planes with his co-conspirators.
Ramic has been in federal custody since December 2021 following his deportation from Turkey. He is scheduled for sentencing on September 5 and faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison, a $750,000 fine, and supervised release for life.
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