IS 'Aust recruit' pleads not guilty in US
Peter Mitchell, AAP US Correspondent - AAP on March 21, 2016, 5:59 am
A young American man indicted with accused Australian Islamic State recruiter Mohamed Zuhbi has entered not guilty pleas in a Texas court to six charges including conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country.
Asher Khan, 21, from Houston, moved to Sydney in 2013 to live with relatives.
US prosecutors allege Khan, while in Australia, encouraged a friend in Texas to meet him in Turkey, with the plan for both to cross into Syria and and join IS as fighters.
Khan sought out 25-year-old Sydney man Zuhbi, who was operating out of Syria and Turkey, according to the indictment.
Zuhbi allegedly provided Khan with "logistical advice" and a Turkish mobile number to call once he landed in Turkey.
Khan allegedly flew from Sydney to Turkey, via Malaysia, on February 24, 2014, while his Texan friend, Sixto Ramiro Garcia, flew from Houston to Turkey a day earlier.
"Khan then departed Turkey and returned to the United States after his family tricked him into coming home," the indictment states.
The family allegedly told Khan his mother was in intensive care in hospital.
Garcia communicated with Khan that Zuhbi had "delivered" him and he had attended fighter training camps, but on December 25 Garcia's mother "received a message explaining that her son had died, suggesting that he died while fighting", prosecutors allege.
US District Court Judge Lynn Hughes has issued a warrant for Zuhbi's arrest.
Khan, during Friday's court appearance in Houston, entered not guilty pleas to six counts.
Khan and Zuhbi are charged with: conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation; conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country; conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.
Khan is also charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation and attempting to provide material support to terrorists.
If Khan and Zuhbi are convicted both face life prison sentences.
