Former Alabama student gets 7 years for hiding terrorism funds to al Qaeda

A former University of Alabama student was sentenced Wednesday to seven and a half years in prison for concealing financing to the Islamic terrorist group, al Qaeda. 

Alaa Mohd Abusaad, 26, was also ordered to spend 10 years on supervised release following the prison term, prosecutors said in a statement.

Abusaad pleaded guilty in 2019 to a charge of concealing terrorism financing after she told an undercover FBI employee how to send money to fighters engaged in terrorism and that money “is always needed,” authorities said. 

 WHITE HOUSE SAYS TERRORIST ENCOUNTERS AT BORDER ARE ‘UNCOMMON,’ TOUTS BORDER PATROL FOR ‘DOING THEIR JOB’

She told the agent to use fake names and addresses when sending electronic transfers to avoid detection by police. Prosecutors said Abusaad also introduced the undercover agent to a financial facilitator who route money to “brothers that work with aq (al Qaeda).” 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The defense argued Abusaad’s childhood and mental health issues made her vulnerable to the dangers of the internet, WBMA-TV reported. Court documents described a young girl ostracized by being the only Muslim family in housing projects in Tuscaloosa, where she faced bullying from other children and a teacher.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.