California man accused of plot to join al-Qaida

GENE JOHNSON

SEATTLE (AP) — U.S. prosecutors say a 20-year-old man has been arrested near the Canadian border in Washington state and charged with trying to provide support to al-Qaida's efforts in Syria.

The Justice Department said Monday that Nicholas Teausant, of California was planning to travel to Canada before proceeding to Syria to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization. He was due to appear in federal court in Seattle on Monday afternoon.

Teausant was charged in a criminal complaint filed in Sacramento with a single count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. It wasn't immediately clear if he has a lawyer.