An American teenager was today indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly trying to travel overseas to join the banned Islamic State (IS) outfit.
19-year-old Mohammed Hamzah Khan from Chicago was also charged with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State in a single-count indictment returned late yesterday.
The date for him to be arraigned in US District Court in Chicago has not been decided yet.
Khan has been in federal custody since his arrest on October 4 last year by the FBI at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport while trying to fly to Vienna on his way to Istanbul.
He was initially charged in a criminal complaint with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation, and the indictment formalises the same.
As per the indictment, between February and October 4, Khan attempted to provide material support and resources, specifically, personnel to the IS.
Attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a USD 250,000 fine.
If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines, a media release said.
