Virginia Woman Charged for Lying About Promoting Islamic State and Trying to Bring Supporters to Syria via Facebook
A Virginia woman has been charged for promoting the Islamic State on social media and offering to help get an acquaintance into Syria to join the extremist group.
Heather Elizabeth Coffman appeared in U.S. District Court on Monday and was held until a Wednesday afternoon detention hearing, Fox News reports. Her charge is making a materially false statement about an offense involving terrorism.
According to a filed affidavit from an FBI agent, Coffman promoted the radical Islamic group among several Facebook accounts that she managed using multiple names. Her posts alarmed the agent, who set up a sting operation, posing as an Islamic State backer.
Under this guise, the agent reportedly messaged Coffman about arranging for a man she identified as her husband to travel to Syria to join in training and fighting with ISIS. She claims the man, unidentified in court documents, backed out of the plan when the couple split up.
In their communications, Coffman also offered to make similar arrangements for a fictitious friend of the agent. The agent told Coffman the person wanted to become a "Shaheed," or martyr, for the terrorist group. In response, Coffman said the agent should support his friend's choice and gave him contacts of who could help arrange the introduction.
After several meetings between Coffman and the agent, two other FBI personnel interviewed her, where she denied supporting any terrorist groups.
"[Coffman] is suspected of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham ('ISIS') a foreign terrorist organization," the affidavit reads.
Besides her rumored activity, one of Coffman's Facebook accounts listed her job and education, which translated to "jihad for Allah's sake." The profile also featured pictures of the ISIS flag and images of men holding AK-47s.
When a friend commented on Coffman's wall about her posting the strange imagery, Coffman responded with, "I love ISIS!," according to Fox News.
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