U.S. Attorney Michael F. Easley Jr. announced on Thursday that a criminal complaint charging Alexander Justin White, a 29-year-old man from Durham, North Carolina, with attempting to support terrorist group ISIS, has been unsealed, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
Authorities arrested White on December 4, 2024, at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) as he prepared to board a flight to Morocco. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
The complaint alleges that between May and October 2024, White used online alias “Sulaiman Al-Amriki” (Sulaiman the American) to post content supporting ISIS and violent jihad. His posts included recruitment and fundraising videos, as well as messages commending ISIS supporters and scholars. Investigators claimed that White sought to join ISIS overseas, regretted not having traveled earlier, and made financial transactions to refugee camps believed to funnel money to ISIS members.
To conceal his intentions, White allegedly planned his travel to appear as a vacation. He purchased supplies, including a combat medical kit, and claimed he would rather die than return to the U.S. On December 4, White attempted to board a flight to Morocco, his gateway to join ISIS in Africa.
U.S. Attorney Easley highlighted the importance of collaboration between federal and local agencies to prevent terrorism.
Special Agent Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI in North Carolina noted the role of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in detecting and combating threats. The Raleigh, NC-based JTTF, which includes multiple local and federal agencies, played a key role in the investigation, with assistance from Morocco’s Territorial Surveillance Agency (DGST).