By Samah Abdel Fattah | 2025-06-10

The arrest and trial of "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) fighters and other extremist elements is an essential continuation of the war on terrorism and sends an unmistakable message to would-be recruits, experts said.

By demonstrating its commitment to prosecuting US citizens involved in terrorism, the United States underscores its seriousness about accountability and affirms the rule of law, they added.

A US court on June 2 handed Lirim Sylejmani, 49, a 10-year sentence, after proving he had pledged allegiance to the late ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and engaged in combat against US and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Sylejmani had been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist group, actually providing such support, and receiving military training from a terrorist organization, Syrian lawyer Bashir al-Bassam said.

During his time with ISIS, Sylejmani received extensive weapons training on AK-47s, PK machine guns, M-16 rifles and grenades.

Sylejmani's path to radicalization followed a pattern common among foreign fighters: leaving the United States in 2011, relocating with his family to Syria in 2015 to join ISIS, and completing 21 days of military training.

After joining the ranks of ISIS, he remained active until his 2019 arrest by SDF forces, who transferred him to US authorities in 2020, al-Bassam told Al-Fassel.

Ongoing war on terrorism

"The war on terrorism, specifically against ISIS, has not stopped, as some believe," terrorism expert Yahya Mohammed Ali told Al-Fassel. "Rather, it continues through pursuits, tracking, arrests and trials."

"All of these efforts are leading to the effective eradication of these terrorist groups, which under the guise of religion have been able to recruit loyalists and elements from all over the world," he said.

"The news of these trials confirms that despite all the promises made to ISIS recruits, their fate is sealed," Ali added. "This may serve as a future deterrent to those who currently enjoy freedom of movement."

"Even those who fled their countries seeking a dignified life and liberty after obtaining foreign citizenship have exposed themselves and their families to a completely uncertain fate," he said.