An Army soldier from Hawaii pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to trying to help the Islamic State terrorist group by supplying undercover FBI agents “secret” military documents.
Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Erik Kang admitted guilt to four counts of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
The 35-year-old had been stationed at Schofield Barracks and was indicted in July 2017. His arrest marked the first time a Hawaiian resident has been convicted of attempting to help the foreign terror group.
“Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in a statement.
Court documents state that starting in early 2016, Kang became sympathetic to ISIS. Kang, who owned an AR-15-style assault rifle and a pistol, began making statements endorsing ISIS. Police began watching him as the FBI investigated.
Kang then met with undercover FBI agents who were posing as people connected to ISIS. The soldier gave them nonpublic Defense Department documents labeled “SECRET.” The papers included information on the military’s “weapons file,” the military’s sensitive mobile airspace management system, and personally identifiable information of U.S. service members.
He also gave them a drone that he said they could use to spy on U.S. troops, a military chest rig, and other military clothing and gear.
On a later date, Kang met with two other undercover FBI agents, including one who pretended to be a high-ranking ISIS leader, and showed them hand-to-hand combat and weapons techniques.
He later swore an oath of loyalty to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a fake ceremony the FBI agents carried out. That day, he told the agents he wanted to take his rifle and open fire in downtown Honolulu and in Waikiki. He was then arrested.
Kang has agreed to a plea deal, which mandates he serve 25 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release.
Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway will sentence Kang on Dec. 10.
