Brooklyn Woman Convicted of ISIS Weapons Training

A Brooklyn woman who was taken to Syria as a teenager has been convicted of receiving weapons training from the Islamic State. Jurors in New York rejected the defense’s argument that Halima Salman was a victim of her father and husband, opting instead to hold her responsible for her participation.

Editorial·October 28, 2026·reads: 1,133

Brooklyn Woman Convicted of ISIS Weapons Training

Prosecutors presented evidence including a video of the 27-year-old holding an assault rifle, photographs of her with the group's flag, and messages sent to her husband. US Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. stated the verdict holds Salman accountable for joining forces with a terrorist organization. While defense attorneys argued she was trapped in a cycle of coercion and abuse, prosecutors highlighted inconsistencies in her testimony, noting she had shared extremist propaganda with her spouse.

Salman testified that she was taken to Syria at age 17 under the guise of a family trip to Turkey. She described years of domestic labor, constant airstrikes, and fear of her husband, insisting she had no choice but to comply with the militants. Following her 2019 detention in Baghouz, she was arrested by federal authorities upon her return to New York in 2024. Defense lawyers have requested that the judge set aside the verdict, though such motions are rarely successful. Salman now faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years, with a hearing scheduled for February 2.