Madison man pleads guilty to attempting to support ISIS: "Only thing that matters is war against America"

MADISON -- 34-year-old Joshua Van Haften on Monday, October 24th pleaded guilty to federal charges -- accused of attempting to provide material support and resources, namely himself as personnel, to a foreign terrorist organization.

The United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin announced the plea deal Monday.

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Van Haften admitted that in 2014, he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), knowing that the organization was a designated terrorist organization that has engaged and engages in terrorism.

According to the government’s evidence, Van Haften traveled to Turkey in 2014 and attempted to cross into Syria.  He posted online that he had taken an oath of allegiance to the leader of ISIL, and that “The only thing that matters to me is joining my brothers for the war against America  liars.”

Van Haften was arrested at O’Hare Airport in Chicago in April 2015 after his arrival in custody on an international flight from Turkey. He has been held in federal custody since his arrest.

Van Haften will be sentenced on February 17th. He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.