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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Former US soldier Craig Baxam 'helped al-Shabab' | Former US soldier Craig Baxam 'helped al-Shabab' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A former US Army soldier has been charged with trying to help Somalia's al-Shabab militant group. | A former US Army soldier has been charged with trying to help Somalia's al-Shabab militant group. |
| Craig Baxam, 24, was arrested by Kenyan authorities in December as he tried to cross the border into Somalia. | Craig Baxam, 24, was arrested by Kenyan authorities in December as he tried to cross the border into Somalia. |
| An affidavit released by US prosecutors alleges that he planned to offer several hundred dollars to the militant group, which has links to al-Qaeda, and to serve as a fighter. | An affidavit released by US prosecutors alleges that he planned to offer several hundred dollars to the militant group, which has links to al-Qaeda, and to serve as a fighter. |
| He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors say. | He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors say. |
| Mr Baxam, who lives in a Maryland suburb outside Washington DC, flew to Nairobi on 20 December and attempted to travel to the Kenyan-Somali border by bus and taxi. | Mr Baxam, who lives in a Maryland suburb outside Washington DC, flew to Nairobi on 20 December and attempted to travel to the Kenyan-Somali border by bus and taxi. |
| He was arrested by US officials when he arrived back in the country on 6 January. | He was arrested by US officials when he arrived back in the country on 6 January. |
| The US has designated al-Shabab a terrorist group, and the group has sought to recruit Americans to fight in Somalia. | The US has designated al-Shabab a terrorist group, and the group has sought to recruit Americans to fight in Somalia. |
| Website conversion | Website conversion |
| Mr Baxam joined the army in 2007 and was trained in intelligence and cryptology. | Mr Baxam joined the army in 2007 and was trained in intelligence and cryptology. |
| He previously served in Iraq, returned home and then re-enlisted. He was deployed to South Korea for one year beginning in August 2010. | He previously served in Iraq, returned home and then re-enlisted. He was deployed to South Korea for one year beginning in August 2010. |
| The affidavit alleges that he converted to Islam secretly after reading an Islamic website while serving in Korea. | The affidavit alleges that he converted to Islam secretly after reading an Islamic website while serving in Korea. |
| Travelling to Somalia held appeal for Mr Baxam because he wanted to live in a country where he believed Sharia law held sway. He no longer believed he could live in the US, prosecutors say. | Travelling to Somalia held appeal for Mr Baxam because he wanted to live in a country where he believed Sharia law held sway. He no longer believed he could live in the US, prosecutors say. |
| The only places that were acceptable, according to the affidavit, were Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan, part of Somalia controlled by al-Shabab, and in the southern Philippines. | The only places that were acceptable, according to the affidavit, were Taliban-controlled areas of Afghanistan, part of Somalia controlled by al-Shabab, and in the southern Philippines. |
| Mr Baxam is quoted as saying he wanted to die "with a gun in my hand", and that he would be happy to die defending Islam. | Mr Baxam is quoted as saying he wanted to die "with a gun in my hand", and that he would be happy to die defending Islam. |
| When told that during interviews with the FBI that al-Shabab encouraged beating people who were seen in the street during prayer time, Mr Baxam allegedly replied "that is awesome". | When told that during interviews with the FBI that al-Shabab encouraged beating people who were seen in the street during prayer time, Mr Baxam allegedly replied "that is awesome". |
| While the affidavit does not describe exactly how Mr Baxam was found, it does say he was wary of searching for al-Shabab on his computer because he was "aware of the capabilities of the US government". | While the affidavit does not describe exactly how Mr Baxam was found, it does say he was wary of searching for al-Shabab on his computer because he was "aware of the capabilities of the US government". |
| He also believed his travel towards the Somali border captured the attention of Kenyan authorities, who arrested him before US embassy and FBI officials questioned the former Army officer. | He also believed his travel towards the Somali border captured the attention of Kenyan authorities, who arrested him before US embassy and FBI officials questioned the former Army officer. |
| Al-Shabab announced a "tactical withdrawal" from the capital of Mogadishu last summer but in October an al-Shabab suicide bomber killed over 70 people near a government building. | |
| In September, the US launched a series of attacks by unmanned drones on suspected al-Shabab positions around the Somali port town of Kismayo. | |