California Man Linked to Al-Qaeda Arrested on Terrorism Charges

A California man allegedly attempting to travel to Syria to join an al-Qaeda group was arrested at the Canadian border in Washington on Monday. Nicholas Teausant, 20, was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, according to a Department of Justice news release.

The 20-year-old student at San Joaquin Delta Community College in Stockton, Calif., was planning to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Reuters reports he also planned to target an attack against the Los Angeles subway system in early January, but stopped after authorities uncovered his plans. According to NBC Los Angeles, Teausant is also a California National Guardsman, though he never attended basic training.

The case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Modesto Police Department and the San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office, according to the press release. If convicted, Teausant faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He is expected to appear in court on Monday afternoon.