DETROIT (AP) – An Iraqi refugee living in East Lansing has been accused of lying to federal officials about plans to train and fight with the Islamic State group in the Middle East. A federal complaint says Al-Hamzah Mohammad Jawad was detained Tuesday by agents at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, where he was scheduled to fly to Amman, Jordan. Officials became concerned when he couldn’t explain why he bought a one-way ticket a day earlier.
The complaint says the 29-year-old Jawad told FBI agents he was connected with violent extremists in Iraq but later admitted he made it up.
Jawad is scheduled to appear Thursday afternoon in Detroit’s federal court. A U.S. Attorney’s Office spokeswoman says an attorney likely would represent him.
Jawad came to the U.S. in 2013.
