Kevin Iman McCormick, a resident of Connecticut, has been convicted and received a 144-month prison sentence for attempting to travel to Syria to support the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
McCormick, aged 30 and hailing from Hamden, Connecticut, shared his intent to join ISIS in 2019, leading to his arrest in October of the same year.
Troubling Advocacy
According to court documents, McCormick has expressed his desire to travel to Syria and fight for ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization, in various statements made in 2019.
During an interaction at a Muslim community center in August 2019, he asserted that “we should support ISIS” and declared “jihad is the way to go.”
McCormick’s statements included phrases such as “I gotta fight, bro, because those people… and [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant], they fought for me, I know it, I can feel it in my heart. So it’s my time to fight.” Additionally, he conveyed the belief that “it’s gonna be tough to kill me.”
Kevin Iman McCormick was apprehended on October 21, 2019, as he attempted to board a flight from Connecticut to Canada. Earlier attempts to leave the country involved an endeavor to travel to Jamaica, to subsequently head to Syria to join ISIS.
The Department of Homeland Security intervened, preventing him from boarding a flight to Jamaica.
McCormick pleaded guilty on January 12 to the attempt to provide support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. His sentencing encompasses 144 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.
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Connecticut Resident’s Foiled Escape
Following his arrest, McCormick had tried to board a flight to Jamaica but was thwarted by authorities. Subsequently, he created a video pledging allegiance to ISIS and its then-leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with collaboration from the Transportation Security Administration, conducted the investigation that culminated in McCormick’s arrest and conviction.
The sentencing of Kevin Iman McCormick underscores the ongoing efforts to thwart individuals attempting to support terrorist organizations. This case highlights the crucial role of vigilant law enforcement and intelligence agencies in preventing potential threats to national security.
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