New York woman convicted of ISIS weapons training after father arranged marriage

The Guardian reported that a New York woman was found guilty on Tuesday of receiving weapons training from the Islamic State group. Prosecutors said Halima Salman, a U.S. citizen, pledged loyalty to the extremist organization and willingly took part in its activities. The trial revealed that Salman’s father had taken her to Syria as a teenager and arranged her marriage to an ISIS fighter.

During the proceedings, Salman testified, “You try to leave, it is death.” Jurors were shown a video of her holding an assault rifle, a photograph of her standing beside the group’s flag, and text messages she sent to her husband that expressed affection. After the verdict, her mother and defense attorneys wept, according to the report.

The conviction follows the presentation of evidence that linked Salman directly to the militant group’s armed operations, marking a rare case of a U.S. citizen being held criminally responsible for training with ISIS.

Why it matters

The case demonstrates that U.S. authorities can prosecute citizens for active involvement with terrorist groups, reinforcing legal accountability for overseas extremist activities.

Key details

Location

United States · Americas

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

28 Oct 2026, 19:06 IST

Key names

Islamic State, Halima Salman, York, Syria

Section

World

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The GuardianUS teen whose father arranged her marriage to Islamic State fighter convicted for weapons training 28 Oct, 19:06

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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