High School Student Accused of Aiding ISIS: Reports

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A 17-year-old from Woodbridge has been accused by federal officials of helping a recruit reach Islamic State fighters in the Middle East.

The teen allegedly helped arrange travel for a man heading to Syria to fight for ISIS, according to The Washington Post. On Friday, the FBI raided the townhouse where he lives with his family and took him into custody.

The teen, a student at Osbourn Park High School near Manassas, is charged as a juvenile, the Post reported. But federal prosecutors are working to get the teen charged as an adult, an official said.

Calling the teen a “Bitcoin aficionado,” BuzzFeed has posted excerpts from the boy’s online articles.

The Post reports that investigators conducted surveillance outside the teen’s home for more than a month, and that a second student at Osbourn Park was also investigated, but thought to be a lesser player.

In a letter to parents, Osbourn Park High School principal Neil Beech asked that the community not overreact to the arrest.

“I can assure you that PWCS has not been advised of any threat or danger to our students, staff, or schools,” he stated. “We never had information or concerns that would warrant any public communication on the issue, potentially interfering with law enforcement efforts.”

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