U.S. army officer tried to aid ISIL, says FBI

A U.S. army sergeant stationed in Hawaii was charged with trying to provide equipment, training and classified military information to the Islamic State, after undercover FBI agents documented his offers of support to the militant group in a series of meetings in June and July, according to an indictment.

Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Erik Kang, 34, was arrested July 8 and charged in an indictment filed in U.S. District Court of Hawaii on Friday. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each of four counts against him.

According to the indictment, which was announced Saturday by the Justice Department and the FBI, Kang tried to offer “material support or resources” in meetings with the agents, whom he believed were associates of the Islamic State.

In one encounter on June 23, Kang offered classified military documents, according to the indictment. In another meeting, on July 8, he volunteered equipment to the undercover sources, including a drone camera, a chest “rig” that holds ammunition and other kinds of “military-style clothing.”

According to an FBI affidavit Kang made copies of secret military documents in 2015, hoping to give them to the Islamic State.

When he met with the undercover agents, they made training videos he intended for ISIL.