Who Is Nicholas Young? DC Police Officer Assisted ISIS, Authorities Allege

Nicholas Young, a veteran police officer with Washington, D.C.'s Metro Transit Police Department, was arrested Wednesday morning for allegedly attempting to assist the so-called Islamic State Group, also known as ISIS, according to multiple reports.

ABC News, which first reported the news, detailed that Young allegedly tried to help "ISIS operatives find more ways to communicate in secret." The news outlet cited anonymous sources.

The officer allegedly purchased tech items to send to operatives to aid them in their communication. But instead of being in touch with ISIS, Young was apparently in touch with undercover agents with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, ABC News reported. Authorities reportedly said there was never any credible threat to the Metro transportation system.

Young is a 12-year veteran of the transit police force and was arrested this morning at the Metropolitan Police Headquarters. The 36-year-old lives in Fairfax, Virginia. Young had apparently been under surveillance since 2010.

According to a Justice Department press release Young had "numerous interactions with undercover law enforcement personnel and an FBI confidential human source" about his interest in terrorism-related activity. Several meetings with an undercover officer also included Young's acquaintance, Amine El Khalifi, who pleaded guilty in 2012 to plotting to carry out a suicide bombing at the U.S. Capitol Building, according to Justice Department.

The Justice Department also alleged, citing an affidavit, that Young traveled to Libya in 2011 and attempted to travel there a second time, telling FBI agents "that he had been with rebels attempting to overthrow the Muammar Qaddafi regime." A search of his baggage allegedly revealed "body armor, a kevlar helmet and several other military-style items."

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld called the charges "profoundly disturbing," in a statement, via WRC-TV in Washington, D.C.

"[Metro Transit Police Department] Chief [Ronald] Pavlik and I have worked hand-in-glove with the FBI in the interest of public safety and to ensure that this individual would be brought to justice," Wiedefeld said.