SANTA ANA -– (INT) - Two Orange County men, one of whom attempted to travel to the Middle East to allegedly join ISIL, have been arrested on federal charges of conspiring to provide material support to the designated foreign terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Muhanad Badawi, 24, and Nader Elhuzayel, 24, both of Anaheim, were arrested Thursday evening by special agents with the FBI.

The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint outlines a scheme in which Badawi and Elhuzayel used social media to discuss ISIL and terrorist attacks, expressed a desire to die as martyrs and made arrangements for Elhuzayel to leave the United States to join ISIL.

The men discussed where in the Middle East they would rather be, and Elhuzayel said he wanted to fight and did not want to be in the United States, according to the conversations recounted in the affidavit.

Elhuzayel was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport.

Both men are expected to make their initial court appearances Friday afternoon.

If convicted of the charge in the criminal complaint, Badawi and Elhuzayel each would face a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to ISIL.

Story Date: May 24, 2015