Full Breakdown
Brooklyn Woman Convicted of Receiving ISIS Military Training
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Jury Convicts Halima Salman of ISIS Training
On October 27, a federal jury in Brooklyn found 27-year-old Halima Salman guilty of a single count of receiving military training from the Islamic State (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The verdict followed a week-long trial and three days of deliberation. Salman, a U.S. citizen born in Brooklyn, faces a potential sentence of up to ten years in federal prison. Sentencing is slated for early February.
02
Background & Context
Salman’s father took the family from New York to Syria in 2017 when she was 17, claiming the trip was to visit relatives in Turkey. Upon crossing the border, the family was intercepted by armed militants and taken to an ISIS-controlled area. Within months, Salman was forced into an arranged marriage with an ISIS fighter, identified in court documents as Abu Ali. She remained in the territory until 2019, when anti-ISIS forces detained her in Baghouz. After being repatriated to the United States in 2024, she was arrested and charged.
Visual evidence
Images from the story
03
Data & Statistics
- Age at travel to Syria: 17
- Age at marriage: 18
- Charge: One count of receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization.
- Maximum penalty: 10 years imprisonment (as stipulated by federal law).
- Bond: $500,000 pending sentencing.
04
Official Statements & Responses
- **U.S.
- **Assistant U.S.
- **FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C.
- U.S. District Judge Natasha C. Merle scheduled a post-verdict motion hearing to consider the defense’s request to set aside the conviction, noting that such motions are rarely granted.
05
Criticism & Opposition
Defense attorney Mia Eisner-Grynberg contended that the government presented no direct evidence of Salman undergoing weapons training, describing the conviction as “scary” and “unjust.” She highlighted the absence of eyewitness testimony or documentary proof of a training session and argued that Salman was a victim of her father’s deception and an abusive marriage. The defense also pointed to loving text messages Salman exchanged with her husband as evidence of a coerced relationship rather than voluntary participation.
06
Verbatim Quotes
- “You try to leave, it is death,” — Halima Salman, the attorney
- “With today’s verdict, Salman is held accountable for joining forces with a terrorist organization,” — United States Attorney Anthony
07
What’s Next
The court will hear the defense’s motion to vacate the verdict before sentencing. If the motion is denied, Salman will be sentenced in early February and could begin serving a term of up to ten years. The case marks the first federal prosecution of a U.S. woman for alleged ISIS training, underscoring ongoing legal efforts to hold American citizens accountable for involvement with designated terrorist organizations.