DENVER, COLORADO: A young man from suburban Denver, Colorado, has been accused of trying to aid the terrorist group ISIS with resources or support. Davin Daniel Meyer, 18, was arrested on Friday, July 14, at the Denver International Airport as he attempted to travel to Ankara, Turkey, according to the court filings. He appeared in federal court on Monday, July 17.
Meyer allegedly swore an oath of allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), intending to enlist as a warrior for the terrorist group in Iraq, according to an arrest affidavit attached to the criminal complaint. He also looked for extremist material online and "openly discussed his violent intentions," according to the arrest affidavit submitted by Joni Tangeman, an FBI task force officer, reported USA TODAY.
Who is Davin Daniel Meyer?
Davin Daniel Meyer, an 18-year-old man from Castle Rock, Colorado, was arrested on July 14 as he was reportedly trying to board a plane for Turkey. He is currently facing charges of attempting to provide resources or material assistance to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Meyer was treated for mental health issues in 2021 and 2022, obtaining a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, among other illnesses, as per the affidavit.
How was he arrested?
Shortly after turning 18, in November 2022, Meyer started communicating online with someone he thought was an ISIS facilitator but who was actually an FBI agent, according to his arrest affidavit. Meanwhile, Meyer obtained a passport and travel funds during the course of the ensuing months, according to Tangeman. He apparently booked the flight tickets on June 23 and had plans to first travel from Denver to Munich, Germany. Then, he would have taken another flight to Ankara, Turkey, where he was supposed to meet with the ISIS members before allegedly traveling to Iraq.
The investigation is detailed in Meyer's arrest affidavit, which was launched in June 2022 when the FBI was alerted about his "concerning behavior and statements" by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Later, Meyer was reported to have told someone that if he was unable to travel to the Middle East, he intended to purchase fertilizer and construct a bomb inside his home country. He has a detention hearing pending for Thursday, July 20, and a preliminary examination is to be held on July 31.
