California man who sought to join terrorists indicted in Chicago

Federal authorities in Chicago have indicted a California man who flew from Chicago to Turkey as he plotted to join terrorists overseas and mused he is “eager to see blood.”

Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 23, of Sacramento has already been charged in California with lying to authorities about international terrorism. But his flight from Chicago, allegedly to pursue violent ambitions, has triggered a local indictment.

That indictment charges Al-Jayab with attempting to provide material support to acts of violence overseas. He is in custody in California and is next expected to appear in court there May 12. No arraignment has been scheduled in Chicago, where he faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

Federal prosecutors described Al-Jayab as an Iraqi refugee who came to the United States in October 2012. They said he lived in Arizona and Wisconsin, and he flew from Chicago to Turkey on Nov. 9, 2013, before traveling to Syria. He returned to the United States in January 2014 and settled in California.

Al-Jayab allegedly used social media to contact people about his plans to join terrorists in Syria. He considered lying to the U.S. Embassy in Turkey by claiming he was simply trying to visit his sick grandmother there, according to federal court records in California.

Meanwhile, he allegedly wrote that, “America will not isolate me from my Islamic duty.”

On April 16, 2013, Al-Jayab told an unnamed individual, “Hey man, please do not die: wait for me to come … Do you not want us to work together?” The person replied, “Of course.” And Al-Jayab wrote, “I do not want anything in the world, just to get to Syria safely and find you there … I am eager to see blood.”

On April 21, 2013, an unnamed individual allegedly told Al-Jayab, “Do you know that I have never sprayed fire with a Kalashnikov?” Al-Jayab replied, “God willing, you will have your chance to shoot.” He even said, “Brother, God willing, you will be bored of shooting with guns.”

“I have not seen anything better than the Glock,” Al-Jayab wrote. “All my work was with the Glock and a nine Tariq and also its silencer … Once it hits someone, you would think the person fainted right before your eyes. It does not look like you killed him.”