A terrorism trial began on Monday for a Virginia man accused of supporting the Islamic State.
The Trial
Mohammed Chhipa, 35, of Springfield, Virginia, is accused of sending tens of thousands of dollars to the Islamic State group. During opening statements on Monday, a defense attorney described Chhipa as a lonely individual seeking a wife who was targeted by relentless FBI sting operations, including one undercover agent who posed as a potential bride.
Meanwhile, prosecutors at the trial in a U.S. District Court in Alexandria alleged Chhipa met multiple times with an undercover FBI operative who provided him with hundreds of dollars on several occasions between 2021 and 2022 that was intended for a Syrian woman and Islamic State member known as Umm Dujanah.
In his opening statement, prosecutor Andrew Dixon said Chhipa accepted the funds, converted them into Bitcoin and transferred the money to accounts in Turkey, where it was intended for the Islamic State…