A Kentucky man, who left the US in 2014 to train with ISIS in Syria, was convicted in federal court last week of multiple terrorism charges.
According to a June 11 press release from the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, a federal jury in Bowling Green convicted 34-year-old Misad Hariz Adem Ramic, a dual US/Bosnian citizen, of providing material support to a US-designated foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and receiving military training from the same.
According to prosecutors, Ramic and two co-conspirators arranged to leave the United States on June 3, 2014, and arrived separately in Istanbul.
After arriving in Istanbul, the three men scrapped their original travel itineraries and purchased airline tickets to Gaziantep, Turkey near the Syrian border. From there, the men crossed into Syria and joined the Islamic State.
Ramic received military-style training while attending an ISIS training camp, according to prosecutors. Social media photos presented in court showed Ramic dressed in camouflage and posing in front of a truck displaying an ISIS flag and carrying an anti-aircraft gun.
Ramic and his two co-conspirators remained in contact after joining ISIS. In their communications, the trio discussed fighting for ISIS, jihad, and martyrdom. Ramic also described shooting down a plane with an anti-aircraft weapon.
Because Ramic holds dual citizenship in the United States and Bosnia, he was assigned to a unit made up mostly of Bosnian ISIS fighters. It was with this unit that Ramic participated in the ISIS siege of the Syrian city of Kobane.
Ramic eventually returned to Turkey where he was later deported to the United States. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in December 2021.
Ramic’s sentencing is scheduled for September 5.
According to the Justice Department, Ramic faces a maximum of 50 years in federal prison followed by a possible life term of supervised release. He could also face a fine of $750,000.
