Philadelphia Mom Arrested for Looking to Join ISIS

Jonah Hicap Monday, April 06, 2015

A fully veiled Keonna Thomas sits in court in Philadelphia after she was arrested by federal officials on Friday and charged with trying to join the ISIS and supporting the extremist with money and resources. | NBC Philadelphia

A 30-year-old mother of two from Philadelphia was arrested and charged on Friday with attempting to join the Islamic State group now occupying parts of Iraq and Syria and provide it with material support.

The U.S. Justice Department said Keonna Thomas, also known as Al Khilafah and Young Lioness, planned to fly to Turkey last March 29 and enter Syria to join the ISIS.

In the complaint, Thomas was quoted as having posted on Twitter, "If we truly knew the realities . . . we all would be rushing to join our brothers in the front lines."

Thomas was arrested at her Richard Allen Homes public housing project by federal authorities.

She appeared in court Friday wearing a full-length black burka that covered her from head to toe with only her two eyes peering out of the dress, according to Philadelphia Daily News.

In his affidavit, FBI Special Agent Martin McDonald said Thomas had been expressing her plan to join the ISIS on her Twitter account starting in August 2013.

Thomas re-posted on Twitter in August 2013 a photo of a young boy "wearing firearm magazine pouches and camouflage attire" with the caption: "Ask yourselves, while this young man is holding magazines for the Islamic state, what are you doing for it? #ISIS."

In January 2014, Thomas tweeted, "Only thing I'm jealous of is when I see the smiles of shuhadaa," or martyrs.

Last Dec. 2, an ISIS fighter sent Thomas an electronic communication informing her that he was in Raqqa, Syria, for training. She replied that she was happy for him.

Last Feb. 4, Thomas applied for a U.S. passport and then bought an electronic visa to enter Turkey, which was recommended by the ISIS manual.

Thomas bought a roundtrip ticket on March 26 for a flight from Philadelphia to Barcelona, Spain, scheduled on March 29. Thomas also conducted online search for indirect travel routes to Turkey.

When she applied for a passport, she advised an associate that she deactivated her Twitter account "till i leave for sham [greater Syria]. . . . don't want to draw attention of the kuffar [non-believers]."

She then sent an electronic communciation to an ISIS fighter in Syria who asked her if she wanted to be a part of a martyrdom operation. She replied, "that would be amazing....a girl can only wish."

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years' imprisonment.