Durham Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Conspiring to Support ISIS
Alexander Justin White, 30, was sentenced in federal court after attempting to travel to North Africa to join the terrorist organization.
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A federal judge has sentenced Alexander Justin White, a 30-year-old Durham man, to eight years in federal prison for conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). In addition to his prison term, White will serve a lifetime of supervised release.
White was arrested on December 4, 2024, at Raleigh-Durham International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to North Africa, with an ultimate destination of Morocco via Paris, to join ISIS and engage in fighting within ISIS-controlled territory.
According to court documents, White made numerous online posts supporting ISIS and jihad between May and October 2024. These posts included videos intended for recruitment and to incite passion for fighting. He also engaged in fundraising efforts and made references to known ISIS supporters.
White attempted several financial transactions to support terrorist training camps, which were believed to funnel money to ISIS members and their supporters. He openly discussed his intentions to travel overseas to join the terrorist group on platforms like Facebook and encrypted messaging applications, expressing a willingness to kill U.S. military members and citizens. He identified himself as wanting to be a “Mujahid,” meaning someone who commits jihad.
In preparation for his travel, White purchased a flight and acquired equipment, including a tactical medical kit and military-style boots, which he reportedly wore in North Carolina to break them in. Law enforcement officers found an American Tactical M1911 handgun with three empty magazines and $6,970 in U.S. currency in his possession upon his arrest. White also trained at a gun range.
U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle commented on the sentencing, stating, “The United States does not tolerate terrorism in any form. Whether keyboard warriors or wannabe fighters, the Department of Justice and FBI will relentlessly bring them to justice. This sentence shows our unwavering commitment to eradicating such evil from our country and the globe.”
White pleaded guilty two months after his arrest to the charge of providing material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. The FBI Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force intervened, arresting White at the airport before he could complete his travel. An investigation determined that White acted alone in his conspiracy.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Richard E. Myers II handed down the sentence.
