A federal jury has found Halima Salman guilty of receiving military training from ISIS while living in Syria. Salman’s conviction marked a pivotal moment as the first time a woman charged with joining ISIS faced trial in a U.S. federal court.
Salman, known as “Umm Khattab al-Muhajir,” is a 27-year-old U.S. citizen previously residing in Brooklyn. She now confronts up to 10 years in prison and will be sentenced on February 2.
Federal prosecutors revealed that in 2016, Salman traveled with her parents and eight siblings from the United States to ISIS-held territory in Syria. This move occurred when she was 18.
“With today’s verdict, Salman is held accountable for joining forces with a terrorist organization,” stated U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York.
The Justice Department described how Salman married an ISIS fighter and actively sought military training. She pledged allegiance to ISIS and participated in their operations. The organization authorized her to carry an assault rifle and issued a document certifying her training completion. This document was later recovered from her husband’s phone.
During the trial, jurors saw video evidence of Salman with an assault rifle and photos featuring her with an ISIS flag. Additionally, messages expressing support to her husband were presented.
The trial concluded emotionally after the jury reached a verdict in the Brooklyn federal courthouse. Salman was visibly upset, receiving comfort from her defense team. Her mother displayed profound anguish upon hearing the verdict.
Salman’s legal team portrayed her as a young woman influenced by her father and later her husband into Syria’s conflict. She testified to believing the family’s journey was intended for visiting relatives in Turkey, instead of entering Syria.
“I do blame my father for a lot of things that happened,” she testified, adding that she did not wish to marry at 18 and sought a divorce. Salman recounted attempts to flee, noting they were met with life-threatening consequences.
After fleeing with other refugees and separating from her husband, Salman was detained in Baghouz, Syria, in 2019. She was arrested by U.S. authorities upon her return to New York in 2024.
Her attorneys have requested the court to overturn the conviction, arguing the trial evidence was insufficient for a conviction.