10-year prison sentence given to man who tried to join Islamic State in 2015

Wisconsin State Journal ^ | 2/17/17 | Ed Treleven

[markomalley]

A federal judge on Friday sentenced a former Madison man to 10 years in prison for a terrorism-related conviction, expressing doubts that the man has changed enough from the one who posted statements about killing Americans, traveled to Turkey and tried to join the Islamic State terrorist group in 2015.

U.S. District Judge James Peterson said he was looking for some hint of positive transformation in Joshua Van Haften — who pleaded guilty last year to attempting to give material support to a terrorist group — but was having a difficult time finding it.

“Now, when you say you never meant to hurt anyone, that is very hard for me to believe,” Peterson said. “I have to look at what you did compared to what you’re telling me now, and I’m having a hard time believing.”

In statements to Peterson before he was sentenced, Van Haften, 36, said that he wrote a lot of things he didn’t mean on social media and in other, more private, communications as he prepared to join IS. Among them was expressing praise for the beheading of American journalist James Foley in the comments section of a video of that August 2014 incident.

[A_Former_Democrat]

C’mon, give him a break . . How about a free ride to U Wisconsin. The caring compassionate student government says the Badgers need more “inclusion and diversity” on campus. Surely there are not enough Islamic terrorists, so cut the guy some slack.

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

10 years is not enough by a long shot

[yoe]

Ten years on the tax-payers tit? What does he give back other than time? Who or what keeps him from becoming more radicalized? Prison rules have/must change from soft living to hard time with work.

[Jack Hammer]

Time spent enjoying free medical care, three hots, and a cot courtesy of the American taxpayer is considerably milder than what he had planned for non-muslims.

[Baynative]

I wonder about the wisdom behind putting guys like this in prison. It seems like there would probably be no rehabilitation possible for a converted jihadi. I could see him spending his time working tom convert others while he is there, since he has a very likely pool at his disposal.

Wouldn't Gitmo be a better place to send these traitors to our society?