U.S. woman convicted of getting Islamic State training after becoming teen bride to a fighter
NBC News • • general
Key Points:
- Halima Salman, a New York woman, was convicted of receiving weapons training from the Islamic State after being taken to Syria as a teenager by her father and married off to an ISIS fighter.
- Prosecutors presented evidence including a video of Salman holding an assault rifle, a photo with the ISIS flag, and affectionate messages to her husband, arguing she willingly pledged loyalty to the terrorist group.
- Salman and her defense claimed she was a victim trapped by her father and extremist husband, testifying about attempts to escape and the dangers of leaving the group.
- The conviction carries up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for February 2; her lawyers have requested the verdict be set aside, though such motions are rarely granted.
- Salman was detained in Syria in 2019 and arrested by U.S. authorities upon her return in 2024, highlighting ongoing challenges posed by ISIS sleeper cells despite the group's territorial defeat.
