An Army soldier based in Hawaii was arrested for attempting to support ISIS and is prepared to plead guilty, according to his attorney.
Alexander Silvert, an assistant federal defender for 34-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang, said he will not reveal which charges Kang will plead guilty to, but they have agreed on a sentence, Fox News reported.
Court affidavits revealed that Kang began dabbling in the Muslim religion back in 2014. He joined the military for a “paycheck” and was very excited to move to the Middle East and join ISIS.
According to court documents, Kang handed over classified military material to undercover agents posing as ISIS members. He also pledged allegiance to ISIS and kissed an ISIS flag when he met with undercover agents at a house in Honolulu.
A confidential informant told officials that Kang withdrew to his room and spent countless hours watching videos of beheadings and other ISIS violence.
Hawaii soldier arrested for alleged ties to terror group, FBI says https://t.co/AbhSJtzglF pic.twitter.com/tWZcmyKDCc
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 11, 2017
Kang confided in the informant and shared that if he could join ISIS, he would be a suicide bomber and attack Schofield Barracks, an expansive Army base outside Honolulu.
A statement by the Department of Justice reads: “Kang met with undercover agents of the FBI whom he believed to be affiliated with ISIS and provided military information, some of which was classified at the SECRET level. Kang is also charged with providing property (a drone, military clothing and equipment) and training (instruction on combat techniques and weapons training which was videotaped for future use by ISIS) to undercover agents whom he believed to be affiliated with ISIS.”
The plea agreement was expected to be filed last week, but the schedule may have changed due to a hurricane headed for Hawaii.
Kang has been in jail without bond since last year following his arrest.
Who is Ikaika Erik Kang? ISIS supporter caught in Fort Rucker sting to plead guilty https://t.co/3Tmg2K05Pg pic.twitter.com/6ZrptICTXk
— AL.com (@aldotcom) August 22, 2018
His service record indicates he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 and Iraq in 2011, and was highly decorated. Kang was also awarded the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
If convicted, Kang could face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each charge.
