Suburban Chicago cousins arrested in Islamic State case

CHICAGO (AP) – A member of the Illinois Army National Guard and his suburban Chicago cousin have been arrested on charges of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a Thursday statement.

Hasan Edmonds, the 22-year-old national guard member, was arrested Wednesday night at Chicago Midway International Airport trying to board a flight to Egypt. Jonas Edmonds, 29, was arrested the same day at his home. Both men are U.S. citizens and come from Aurora, the statement said.

According to an unsealed federal complaint, the cousins planned for Jonas Edmonds to carry out a terrorist attack inside the U.S. after Hasan Edmonds left the country. Without naming it, the complaint says they contemplated an armed attack against a U.S. military facility in northern Illinois where Hasan Edmonds had trained.

They were scheduled to appear Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila Finnegan in federal court in Chicago.

Names of defense attorneys were not available.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said in a Thursday statement that Adjunct General Daniel M. Krumrei and Illinois Public Safety Director Rodger Heaton briefed him on Wednesday about an investigation into an Illinois National Guard soldier. He provided no details.

“On behalf of all citizens of Illinois, I thank all the members of our National Guard as well as the FBI for protecting our state and defending our country,” Rauner said in the brief statement.

Spokesman Lt. Col. Brad Leighton said the Illinois National Guard was informed of a federal investigation into a member of Golf Company 634th Brigade Support Battalion, which is based in Joliet.

“Upon learning of the investigation our efforts and priorities focused on ensuring the safety of our soldiers, airmen and their families,” he said. “We have remained in communication with federal authorities throughout the process.”

Leighton said the Illinois National Guard has played a central role in protecting the United States since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“We will not let this incident detract us from fulfilling our missions as proud national guard citizen soldiers,” he said.

Hasan Edmonds wasn’t on active duty, so any criminal allegation will be addressed by civilian federal authorities, Leighton said. Edmonds security clearance had been revoked, he said.