D.C. Metro Transit cop is first law enforcement officer charged in terror law

WASHINGTON, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A Washington, D.C., Metro Transit police officer was charged Wednesday with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State -- the first law enforcement officer accused under the federal government's terrorism law, the FBI said.

Nicholas Young, 36, of Fairfax, Va., was arrested Wednesday morning while at Metropolitan Police Headquarters. According to an indictment filed in Alexandria federal court, Young sent gift cards worth $245 to someone he believed had traveled to Syria. The gift cards were for mobile messaging cards to be used by Islamic State fighters overseas to communicate.

The person was working with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in Washington.

He told law enforcement he had traveled to Libya twice in 2011 to fight against the late Moammar Gadhafi.

Young, who had been with the Metro police since 2003, has been monitored by the FBI since September 2010, authorities said. He was fired "effectively immediately," Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority CEO Paul Wiedefeld said.

"Obviously, the allegations in this case are profoundly disturbing. They're disturbing to me, and they're disturbing to everyone who wears the uniform," Wiedefeld said in a statement.

There never was any credible or specific threat to the Metro system, authorities said.

In a court appearance Wednesday afternoon, Young wore a plain white T-shirt and the black uniform pants of a Metro police officer. He did not have a defense attorney at the hearing.