Honolulu, Hawaii – An active duty soldier was arrested Saturday night for alleged ties to the Islamic State, the FBI said.
Via Hawaii News Now:
An active duty Hawaii soldier has been arrested for alleged ties to the Islamic State terrorist group.
FBI special agents and SWAT arrested Ikaika Erik Kang, 34, on Saturday evening at his Waipahu apartment.
FBI spokesman Arnold Laanui said Kang is with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks in Wahiawa.
Officials said the suspect, who graduated from Kaiser High School, was the subject of a year-long investigation.
He’s set to make his first appearance in federal court Monday afternoon.
CBS reported:
An official told the AP that the solder was arrested because of connections he had with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
This story is still developing. TGP will update as more information becomes available.
**Update** Fox News reported A Hawaii-based U.S. Army soldier was arrested over the weekend after allegedly attempting to provide military documents and a drone to the ISIS terror group.
An FBI special agent alleged in an affidavit that Kang tried to give classified and unclassified military documents and a drone to undercover agents and informants he believed to be members of ISIS. Kang is also accused of attempting to teach the group combat techniques.
Kang has been under investigation by the U.S. Army and the FBI for over a year, according to Delacourt. The affidavit says the Army reported Kang to the FBI in August 2016 after “it appeared that Kang was becoming radicalized.”
The affidavit alleges that Kang had a history of “threatening statements.” At one point in 2012, Kang’s security clearance was suspended after he was reprimanded repeatedly for “threatening to hurt or kill other service members, and for arguing pro-ISIS views while at work and on-post.” The document claims Kang’s clearance was reinstated the following year after he complied with “military requirements stemming from the investigation.”
Kang also allegedly told the informant that Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed nearly 50 people at an Orlando gay bar in June 2016 “did what he had to do.” He also allegedly said “America is the only terrorist organization” and that he “believed in the mass killing of Jews.”
Kang’s father also said that his son started studying Islam during one of his deployments. There you go! Soldier studies Islam and becomes radicalized. Shocker.
H/T Vessel News
