Brooklyn Woman Convicted of Receiving ISIS Military Training

Federal authorities successfully prosecuted a 27-year-old Brooklyn native for receiving military-style training from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). A jury at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict on Tuesday, concluding a trial that marked the first time a woman accused of joining the group stood before a U.S. federal court.

Salman, who uses the alias Umm Khattab al-Muhajir, faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Her sentencing is currently scheduled for February 2. The conviction rests on evidence that she knowingly participated in the activities of a designated terrorist organization while living in Syria-controlled territory.

Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York argued that Salman pledged loyalty to ISIS and voluntarily sought combat instruction. Federal records indicate she was 18 years old when she married an ISIS fighter. Authorities said ISIS officials authorized her to carry an assault rifle and issued a certificate confirming her completion of the training. That document was recovered from her husband's cellphone.

During the proceedings, jurors reviewed video footage of Salman holding a rifle and photographs showing her standing with an ISIS flag. They also examined text messages she sent to her husband expressing support for the group. U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated that the verdict holds Salman accountable for joining forces with a terrorist organization. He noted that his office will continue to prosecute individuals who supported the group's presence in Syria and across the globe.

The defense team presented Salman as a teenager who was drawn into the conflict by her father and husband. Salman testified that she believed her family was traveling to Turkey to visit relatives when her father took them into Syria in 2016. She stated that she did not want to be married off at 18 and attempted to obtain a divorce. "You try to leave, it is death," she told the court. She also testified that she eventually fled with other refugees and separated from her husband.

Salman was detained in Baghouz, Syria, in 2019 by forces fighting ISIS. She returned to New York in 2024, where U.S. authorities arrested her. The jury struggled to reach a unanimous decision, requiring two breaks to continue deliberations before delivering the final verdict.

Following the announcement, Salman broke down in tears and was consoled by her legal team. Her mother, who arrived after the verdict was reached, was seen crying in the gallery. Lead defense attorney Mia Eisner-Grynberg was also visibly emotional. Salman's attorneys have asked the judge to set aside the verdict and acquit her, arguing that the evidence was legally insufficient.