Illinois father defends teenage son terror suspect

[April 22, 2013]  AURORA (AP) -- The father of an Illinois teenager accused by federal authorities of trying to joining a terrorist group in Syria says he doesn't believe his son would ever do anything violent.

Ahmad Tounisi tells the Chicago Sun-Times (http://bit.ly/XQO2sk) that his 18-year-old son, Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, had talked about going to Tunisia, Egypt and Syria to help oppressed people there, but that he doesn't think his son would ever do what the federal authorities allege.

The FBI says the Aurora teenager was arrested Friday night as he tried to board a flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Turkey, which borders Syria. He was snared in an Internet sting after contacting a sham website set up by the FBI.

The teenager is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

[Associated Press]

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