Charlotte man charged with lying to FBI about ISIS support

CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46 WJZY) - A Charlotte man is charged with lying to federal agents about his efforts to help someone he thought was traveling to Syria to join ISIS.

Alexander Samuel Smith, also known as "Amir Alexander," according to a federal indictment, was taken into custody Thursday on two counts of making false statements to an agency of the United States, court documents state.

The charges against Smith, who was indicted by a federal grand jury last week, stem from an FBI investigation into whether Smith helped book discounted airfare for a man he thought was trying to travel to Syria to join ISIS.

Smith booked discounted airline tickets using his girlfriend's buddy pass for an unidentified person to fly from Tampa Bay, FL to the Buffalo, NY, according to the indictment. A buddy pass is a discounted ticket available to family and friends of an airline employee.

Copy of the federal indictment, click here.

The indictment claims Smith wanted to go to Syria and join ISIS.

"SMITH discussed with this individual his desire and plans to travel to Syria and offered his assistance in helping others to travel to Syria in support of ISIS,” the indictment reads."

However, he later denied both wanting to travel to Syria and his support of ISIS in an interview with the FBI, the indictment says. Smith also denied assisting anyone travel to Syria.

Smith made his first court appearance in federal court on Thursday. His next court date is set for July 1, 2017.

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