By Basant El-Faramawy
A federal jury in New York convicted Halima Salman on Tuesday of receiving military training from the Islamic State group after her father took her to Syria as a teenager. Prosecutors presented a video of Salman holding an assault rifle, a photograph of her with the group's flag, and affectionate text messages she sent to her ISIS fighter husband.
Teenager taken to Syria by father
Salman, born in Brooklyn, was 17 in 2017 when her father told the family they were visiting relatives in Turkey. Instead, they were driven into Syria, where masked gunmen surrounded them. She spent three months in ISIS-run housing before being married to a militant. Her father died in an airstrike in 2018.
Prosecution portrays willing participant
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Shami argued that Salman pledged loyalty to the extremist organization and willingly participated in its activities. During cross-examination, Salman acknowledged sending a religious song glorifying Osama bin Laden to her husband. Prosecutors said the evidence showed she received training from a group responsible for attacks worldwide.
Defense describes coercion and abuse
Salman's lawyers depicted her as a teenager trapped by her father and later by an abusive husband. She testified that her husband ordered her to carry the rifle and that she feared death if she tried to leave. She described constant bombings, living in streets among dead bodies, and eventually fleeing with refugees in 2019.
Detention and arrest
Salman was detained in Baghouz, Syria, by anti-ISIS forces in 2019. She was arrested by U.S. authorities upon her return to New York in 2024. The jury began deliberations on Thursday, and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
