Delowar Mohammed Hossain, a New York City man has been convicted on charges that suggest he wanted to fight American forces with the help of the Taliban, according to US media reports.

A federal court in Manhattan convicted the 36-year-old on Friday while linking him to the provision of services and funds to the Taliban and giving material support, according to reports from Associated Press.

Hossain was detained by United States authorities about two years ago at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City He was later brought in front of a jury for a one-week trial, where it was decided that the sentencing will be done by United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein on January 12.

When detained, Hossain was on his way to Afghanistan, according to reports from Associated Press.

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Prior to the trial, the judge granted a request by the government to take steps to protect the identities of witnesses, including a New York City police officer who corresponded with Hossain in an undercover capacity prior to his arrest.

According to court papers, Hossain in 2018 started expressing interest in joining the Taliban and sought to recruit someone to do the same, but the person turned out to be a government informant. The court papers said he told the informant: “I want to kill some kufars (non-believers) before I die.”

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Prosecutors said his preparations included buying equipment like walkie-talkies and trekking gear. He instructed the informant to save enough money “to buy some weapons” once they reached Afghanistan, they added, according to reports from Associated Press.

The case follows a series of similar arrests of self-radicalized terror suspects on charges they tried to join or support the Islamic State group by making contacts on social media.

(With AP inputs)