Brooklyn Woman Testifies About Forced IS Marriage and Alleged Training
Halima Salman took the stand in a New York federal trial, describing how her father moved the family into ISIS-controlled Syria and forced her into a marriage that led to alleged weapons training.
In a federal courtroom in Brooklyn, Halima Salman, a 27-year-old Brooklyn native, testified that her father secretly relocated the family to ISIS-controlled Syria in 2016, after a brief stay in Turkey. She described life in a tightly controlled guest house where movement and food were restricted and recounted being compelled to marry Abu Ali, an IS fighter, shortly after turning 18. The government’s case hinges on a handwritten IS authorization for an AK-47 and photographs showing Salman handling the rifle, but defense counsel highlighted the absence of any witness confirming her participation in training.
Salman said she repeatedly asked to be repatriated and holds her father responsible for the ordeal. If found guilty of providing material support to a terrorist organization, she could receive a sentence of up to ten years. The trial will resume Tuesday.
Why it matters
The case highlights challenges of prosecuting Americans involved with ISIS and the complexities of forced radicalization.
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