Official: Central Valley man accused of attempting to join ISIS facing charges in Unites States

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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Officials: Keyes man accused of attempting to join ISIS arrested
Officials say an American man from Keyes accused of trying to enter Libya to join ISIS has been arrested.

Officials say an American man from the Central Valley accused of trying to enter Libya to join ISIS is now facing charges in the United States.

A law enforcement official told ABC News Bernard Raymond Augustine, 21, was returned to the US from Tunisia on charges of attempting to provide material support to terrorism and was expected to make his first appearance in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday.

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Augustine, who lives in the Central Valley farming community of Keyes, just outside of Modesto, was originally arrested in Tunisia 2016 when he arrived on a flight that originated in San Francisco, the official said.

Court records show that he told U.S. Customs officials upon departure he was intending to travel to Tunisia for vacation. Someone from Augustine's hometown told authorities, "There was no legitimate reason for Augustine to travel to Tunisia," according to court records.

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A search of his computer revealed a song that extols ISIS and messages Augustine allegedly sent praising the terror group.

Click here to read the U.S Justice Department's statement.

ABC News contributed to this story.


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