Suspect tried to join Islamic State group, officials say

As we reported earlier, suspect Abdul Ballout had been convicted and given a prison sentence that he had not yet served. Here's a timeline of the relevant background: June 16 and 24, 2024: Ballout publishes prohibited Islamic State propaganda on Instagram. Later, the prosecutor's office says, he allegedly "developed the desire to join the armed struggle of ISIS". 20 May 2025: He travels to Lebanon via Turkey, with the intention of heading to Syria and joining the Islamic State group. 2