RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A North Carolina man allegedly attempted to aid a foreign terrorist organization that is fighting in Syria's civil war, the FBI's criminal complaint states.
Basit Javed Sheikh, 29, is accused of trying to provide support to the Nusra Front, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer reported.
Sheik, who is originally from Pakistan, made contact with an FBI source through Facebook, and told him he made three or more attempts to join the Syrian civil war, the complaint alleged.
The source then put Sheikh in touch with an FBI employee.
Sheikh, of Cary, told the FBI that he was interested in joining the Nusra Front, which has been declared an affiliate of al-Qaida, the complaint alleged.
The criminal complaint, which was filed Nov. 4 in federal court, also includes his online posts about jihad, an interview with a Taliban leader and Facebook posts.
Sheikh is being held without bail.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
His father, Javed Sheikh, said he denies the allegations, the News and Observer reported.
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