(Charleston Post and Courier) A South Carolina man will serve the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for attempting to join the Islamic State terror group, a federal judge in Charleston ruled Monday.
Prior to the sentence being issued, Zakaryia Abdel Abdin apologized to his mother and sister, who were present in the courtroom.
“Mom, I’m sorry for letting you down,” he said. “It’s not your fault. I love you.”
Abdin, of Ladson, had aspired to fight alongside IS but was arrested by federal agents in March 2017 attempting to leave the country by way of the Charleston International Airport. He was 18 at the time.
He pleaded guilty in August to one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
