Virginian arrested, faces terrorism case

Federal authorities on Friday arrested and charged a Sterling, Va., man with attempting to obstruct a terrorism investigation, accusing him of acting in a manner that was “indicative of an individual planning and researching how to conduct an attack,” according to records filed in federal court.

The filing says Sean Andrew Duncan, who moved to Sterling from western Pennsylvania in June, had owned a phone that revealed prolific research into materials relating to the Islamic State, terrorist attacks, weapons, surveillance tactics and body armor.

He will make his initial appearance in court Tuesday after an arrest that involved his alleged destruction of a computer thumb drive that authorities suspect may have contained evidence of criminal activity.

Federal investigators first became aware of Duncan’s activities in February 2016, according to a court affidavit. A relative had reported to the FBI that Duncan had converted to Islam, possibly radicalized, and had begun praising the beheadings of Westerners in the Middle East.

Investigators began building their case based on information provided by an unnamed source. The filing says the source told investigators Duncan was an American contact who had not only wanted to join the terrorist organization, but to orchestrate a domestic attack.