WASHINGTON D.C.
U.S. authorities extradited Irfan Demirtas, aka Nasrullah, 56, a dual Dutch-Turkish national who made his first court appearance on Monday.
Demirtas was extradited to the U.S. to face federal charges alleging that he supported the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan or IMU, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
“According to the allegations in the indictment, Demirtas provided material support to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a designated foreign terrorist organization, through his fundraising and recruiting activities,” said Assistant Attorney General John P. Carlin. “Counterterrorism is the National Security Division’s highest priority and we will continue to pursue justice against those who provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.”
On Dec. 8, 2011, Demirtas was charged in a sealed four-count indictment for conduct occurring from at least January 2006 through May 2008.
Specifically, Demirtas was charged with the following crimes:
- Providing material support to terrorists, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison
- Providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison
- Receiving military-type training from a terrorist organization, which carries a 10-year prison sentence
- Using or carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, which carries up to a mandatory 30-year prison sentence.
IMU is a militant Islamic group acting as an armed insurgency against the legitimate government of Afghanistan and its allies, including the U.S. military, officials said.
Demirtas was a resident of the Netherlands. He was appointed by the IMU as its European-based fundraiser. He was responsible for raising funds and recruiting fighters for the IMU.
His activities allegedly took place in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Jordan, the Netherlands, France and elsewhere outside the United States, officials allege.
In January 2015, Demirtas was arrested in Germany based on a red notice that had been issued on these charges. He was extradited to the United States on July 17.
The indictment was unsealed Monday.
Demirtas is presumed innocent until proven guilty.