ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 21 (UPI) -- A Virginia man was arrested Wednesday on a charge of providing material support to a terror organization in Somalia, the U.S. Justice Department said.
The department identified him as Zachary Adam Chesser, 20, of Fairfax County in Northern Virginia.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Neil McBride said, "This case exposes the disturbing reality that extreme radicalization can happen anywhere, including Northern Virginia. This young man is accused of seeking to join al-Shabaab, a brutal terrorist organization with ties to al-Qaida. These allegations underscore the need for continued vigilance against homegrown terror threats."
A government affidavit alleged Chesser, aka Abu Talhah al-Amrikee, voluntarily told federal agents he tried twice to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabaab as a foreign fighter.
He allegedly admitted to agents he intended to travel from Uganda to Somalia, officials said. Chesser attempted to board the plane with his infant son, using his son as part of his cover to avoid detection, the affidavit alleged.
The U.S. Department of State designated al-Shabaab a foreign terror organization in February 2008, saying it was a violent and brutal extremist group based in Somalia with a number of members affiliated with al-Qaida.
In a series of interviews with agents, Chesser discussed in detail how he has maintained several online profiles dedicated to extremist jihad propaganda, including posting pro-jihad messages online, the affidavit alleged.
