American who fought in Syria kept in jail
Judge dismisses defense attorney's claim that Eric Harroun was mistaken about al-Qaeda affiliate's nature
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A judge has again ordered a US Army veteran accused of supporting a terrorist group while fighting in Syria alongside the opposition to President Bashar Assad to remain jailed pending trial.
Eric Harroun of Phoenix was indicted last month and charged with providing material support to a terrorist group. Specifically, prosecutors say he confessed to willingly fighting with an al-Qaeda group called Jabhat al-Nusra, which is one of the groups seeking to topple Assad’s regime.
A magistrate had already ordered Harroun detained pending trial. But his lawyer asked the judge to reconsider, saying Harroun was mistaken and confused about the various opposition groups and never actually joined up with al-Nusra.
At a hearing Monday in federal court in Alexandria, the magistrate said he still considers the confession to be legitimate.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press.