Romeo Xavier Langhorne of Roanoke, Virginia, was indicted this month for his alleged connection with the State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS. Langhorne allegedly trying to provide support and material resources to the terrorist organization.
Langhorne, 30, was arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint, and he has been ordered to be detained pending trial. Langhorne could be jailed for up to 20 years if he is found guilty of the offenses. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.
According to an affidavit, Langhorne has been a follower of ISIS since 2014 and has recently publicly reaffirmed his support for the organization. Apparently, at the beginning of 2019, Langhorne began communicating with an undercover employee (UCE) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who was posing as an ISIS affiliate. Langhorne purportedly informed the investigator that he wanted to make and distribute a video detailing how to make explosives using triacetone triperoxide, also known as “TATP.” He allegedly asked the investigator to help him make the video, and the investigator agreed.
Initially, Langhorne purportedly informed the investigator that, in order to ensure that the video was not removed from the internet by service providers, the video should include disclaimers advising that it was intended for educational purposes only. He finally confessed that his true purpose in making and distributing the video was to arm ISIS adherents and others with knowledge of how to make TATP and use it for terrorism-related purposes.
Unbeknownst to Langhorne, the FBI made a video that featured a different chemical formula for TATP that would not produce an explosion. Regardless, from November 2008, Langhorne distributed the video by uploading it to a video-sharing website.
The FBI, including agencies involved in the Northeast Florida Joint Terrorism Task Force, conducted this case. Investigative support was provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
This charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a fine, the law states. Langhorne remained jailed without bail in mid-November in federal custody at the Western Virginia Regional Jail in Salem, Va.
States must follow due process are respected when persons who are alleged to have committed terrorism-related offenses are arrested, charged, detained, and prosecuted. In essence, guaranteeing due process rights is critical for ensuring anti-terrorism measures are effective, legally sound, and just.
Persons charged with terrorism-related crimes, apart from due process, are entitled to the usual series of specific rights. These include the right to equal standing before the courts and tribunals, the right to be presumed innocent, the right to a hearing with due process guarantees, the right to be tried within a reasonable time, and the right to have a conviction and sentence reviewed by a higher court or tribunal in conformity with international human rights law.
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If you are involved with a terrorist organization case, then you should hire an attorney. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation with one of South Florida’s most experienced attorneys.
Source: 12.9.19 Isis Support