Overview

U.S. authorities arrested North Carolina resident Avin Marsalis Brown at the Raleigh Durham International Airport in March 2014 on suspicion that he sought to join extremist groups overseas including ISIS, AQAP, and the Nusra Front. Brown pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.Bruce Siceloff, “Second Raleigh man pleads guilty in ISIS terror-support conspiracy,” News & Observer, October 16, 2014, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article10098290.html. On July 5, 2016, he was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison“United States of America v. Avin Marsalis Brown aka ‘Musa Brown’ – Judgement,” United States District Court – Eastern District of North Carolina, July 5, 2016, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Brown%20Judgment.pdf; “Raleigh Men Who Sought to Fight in Syria Sentenced to Prison,” WRAL Raleigh, July 5, 2016, https://www.wral.com/2-nc-men-who-sought-to-fight-in-syria-sentenced-to-prison/15831356/. and was released early in September 2020.“AVIN MARSALIS BROWN,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 18, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Starting in May 2013, both Brown and his co-conspirator Akba Jihad Jordan communicated and met with FBI agents posing as jihadists. Brown told an agent that he had a couple of “brothers” who would be helpful in “fisabillah,” or violent jihad for the sake of Allah. Brown told the agent that he planned to travel to either Syria or Yemen to fight.“United State of America v. Avin Marsalis Brown (aka Musa Brown) Akba Jihad Jordan,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, March 20, 2014, http://ftpcontent5.worldnow.com/wncn/pdf/raid.pdf. Both Brown and Jordan told the agents that they wished to fight kuffar (nonbelievers), both in the United States and overseas.“United State of America v. Avin Marsalis Brown (aka Musa Brown) Akba Jihad Jordan,” United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, March 20, 2014, http://ftpcontent5.worldnow.com/wncn/pdf/raid.pdf. According to a federal affidavit, Jordan “functioned as a type of physical fitness, firearms and tactics instructor” for Brown.Bruce Siceloff, “Second Raleigh man pleads guilty in ISIS terror-support conspiracy,” News & Observer, October 16, 2014, http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article10098290.html. Additionally, Brown planned to eventually help Jordan enter Syria from Turkey.“Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support for Terrorism,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 16, 2014, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/raleigh-man-pleads-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-terrorism.

Brown was arrested as he attempted to board a flight headed for Turkey. In a subsequent Mirandized interview, Brown admitted he intended to travel onward to Syria.“Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support for Terrorism,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 16, 2014, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/raleigh-man-pleads-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-terrorism. Brown had reportedly made contact with an ISIS member in Syria, with whom he planned to meet.“Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support for Terrorism,” U.S. Department of Justice, October 16, 2014, http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/raleigh-man-pleads-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-terrorism.

On August 12, 2014, Brown pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.”“Raleigh Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support for Terrorism,” U.S. Department of Justice – Office of Public Affairs, October 16, 2014, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/raleigh-man-pleads-guilty-conspiring-provide-material-support-terrorism; “United States of America v. Avin Marsalis Brown aka ‘Musa Brown’ – Judgement,” United States District Court – Eastern District of North Carolina, July 5, 2016, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Brown%20Judgment.pdf. He was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison on July 5, 2016.“United States of America v. Avin Marsalis Brown aka ‘Musa Brown’ – Judgement,” United States District Court – Eastern District of North Carolina, July 5, 2016, https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs2191/f/Brown%20Judgment.pdf; “Raleigh Men Who Sought to Fight in Syria Sentenced to Prison,” WRAL Raleigh, July 5, 2016, https://www.wral.com/2-nc-men-who-sought-to-fight-in-syria-sentenced-to-prison/15831356/. Brown was released from prison early on September 28, 2020.“AVIN MARSALIS BROWN,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed March 18, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.