Two Virginia Men Charged With Terrorism Offenses Over One's Attempt To Join Islamic State Group

jihadis — Fighters from al Qaeda's Syrian affiliate al-Nusra Front drive in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo flying Islamist flags as they head to a frontline, May 26, 2015. Fadi al-Halabi/AFP/Getty Images

Two Virginia men were charged Saturday with terrorism-related offenses stemming from an attempt to travel to join the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, in Syria, the U.S. Department of Justice said Saturday in a statement. Joseph Hassan Farrokh, 28, was arrested Friday at Richmond International Airport trying to get on one in a series of flights that would take him to Syria, and Mahmoud Amin Mohamed Elhassan, 25, was arrested after driving Farrokh to Richmond.

Farrokh was introduced by Elhassan to someone Elhassan knew was connected to people engaged in jihad, and Elhassan knew Farrokh had plans to travel overseas to join ISIS. If convicted, the two men could be sentenced to 20 years in prison, the Department of Justice said.

Two Virginia Men Charged with Terrorism Offenses Related to Attempted Travel to Syria to Join ISIL https://t.co/SSuCK9zPy8
— Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) January 16, 2016