‘Hipster terrorist’ pleads guilty in Chicago, says he wanted to defend Syrians

The man who came to be known as the “hipster terrorist” pleaded guilty in a Chicago courtroom Wednesday to charges leveled against him here and in California.

Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab, 25, admitted Wednesday that he provided material support to terrorists and lied to immigration officials about his travel to Syria. As he did so, he told U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis he joined Ansar Al-Islam “to defend the Syrian people.”

His attorney, Thomas Durkin, also said after the hearing that Al-Jayab wanted to help fight Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Durkin has previously said the case should have gone to trial, but his client chose to plead guilty against his advice.

Al-Jayab now faces a maximum sentence of 23 years in prison. However, he would be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea if sentenced to more than 15 years. The judge scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 26.

Federal prosecutors in Chicago indicted Al-Jayab in March 2016. The Sacramento man had already been charged in California with lying to authorities about international terrorism, but a flight from Chicago triggered local charges.

Al-Jayab earned his nickname through his well-kept hair, beard and clothing.

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The feds have 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.

The feds accused Al-Jayab of using 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.

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

On April 16, 2013, Al-Jayab allegedly 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 allegedly 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 told Al-Jayab, “Do you know that I have never sprayed fire with a Kalashnikov?” Al-Jayab allegedly 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 allegedly 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.”