North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty After Attempting to Join ISIS

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A man from North Carolina has pleaded guilty in federal court after attempting to join ISIS.

Some shit you should know before you read: Over the last 10 years, US authorities have arrested and charged dozens of American citizens for attempting to join or provide support to ISIS, with the FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) playing a central role in disrupting these efforts. Since 2014, at least 250 people in the United States have faced charges related to ISIS-related activities, including attempting to travel overseas, plotting domestic attacks, or providing material support. The most recent high-profile case occurred on January 1, 2025, when Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a US military veteran, carried out a deadly attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter, killing 15 people and injuring at least 57 by driving a rented truck into crowds during New Year’s celebrations. An ISIS flag was found in his vehicle, and investigations confirmed that Jabbar had pledged allegiance to the terrorist organization in online videos before the attack, though the FBI concluded he acted independently without direct foreign support.

What’s going on now: In an announcement by the Department of Justice, they confirmed that Alexander Justin White, a 29-year-old from Durham, North Carolina, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support to ISIS. White was arrested back in December at Raleigh-Durham International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Morocco, which he planned to use as a gateway to join ISIS fighters. Authorities revealed that White had been under investigation for months after he actively promoted ISIS propaganda online, using the alias “Sulaiman Al-Amriki” to post extremist content, including recruitment videos, jihadist messages, and fundraising appeals.

His online activity also included private conversations with individuals he believed to be ISIS supporters in the Middle East and Africa, where he openly expressed his desire to join the terrorist group and fight for its cause. White’s radicalization and recruitment efforts came to the attention of the FBI’s JTTF, which deployed an undercover agent to engage with him. While speaking with undercover agents, White disclosed his plan to travel abroad to join ISIS and even participated in a staged video call, believing he was speaking with a representative of an ISIS commander.

To avoid raising suspicion, he purchased a round-trip ticket to Rabat, Morocco, while privately stating that he had no intention of returning to the United States. Investigators also uncovered financial transactions linked to White, showing that he had attempted to send funds to organizations known for funneling money to ISIS-affiliated groups.

Reactions from US officials: In a statement, Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, said, “White planned to leave his family, North Carolina, and ultimately his country and fly to Morocco, hoping to actively fight with ISIS. Thanks to the long and countless hours, days, and months, worked by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), Mr. White was literally stopped in his tracks. We are grateful to our JTTF partners for their shared commitment to justice and public safety.”