Isis: Wisconsin man Joshua Van Haften charged for attempting to join Islamic State

A Wisconsin man has been charged after he was arrested at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on 8 April following a failed attempt to join Islamic State (Isis) in the Middle East.

The Chicago Tribune identified the man as 34-year-old Joshua Van Haften, who was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation. Van Haften appeared in a Madison, Wisconsin, court on 9 April. He was deemed a flight risk by US Attorney John Vaudreuil, the Tribune reported.

Van Haften reportedly spoke to friends in the US about his plans after flying to Istanbul on 26 August 2014. According to Reuters, in October he told a former roommate: "Turkey is looking like it is divided at the moment about attacking Isis, which if they do, I'm gonna attack them."

Prosecutors said Van Haften added: "I was about to cross to Syria... but I didn't make it. Hopefully soon though. I'm tired of this life man."

His lawyer, Joseph Bugni, told the Chicago Tribune he looks forward to "having all the facts brought to light" regarding his client. The criminal complaint against him included Facebook posts and messages from Van Haften about his time in Turkey.

Van Haften has a lengthy record of previous convictions in Wisconsin, the Tribune found. Those charges include a 1998 felony battery, a 1999 second degree felony sexual assault and a 2007 disorderly conduct misdemeanor.

According to the Tribune, Van Haften was sentenced to three years' probation in 1998, which was revoked in 1999, and was then sentenced to one year in prison. His eight years' probation sentence following the 1999 charge was revoked in 2000 and changed to a seven-year prison sentence.

If convicted of these IS allegations, Van Haften faces up to 15 years in prison.