A French court sentenced a man on Tuesday to three years in jail for helping a 14-year-old girl who wanted to travel to Syria to marry an Islamic State fighter there. The sentencing underscored how French authorities are cracking down not only on volunteer jihadists trying to join militant groups in Syria and Iraq but also on supporters who help them to leave France.
Riad Ben Cheikh, 41, a crane operator who has three children and whose Facebook account flags his support for Islamic State, denied during his trial that he wanted to wage 'jihad' or holy war but said he merely wanted to help a "brother in religion". The "brother", based in the Syrian city of Raqqa and calling himself 'Tony Toxico', had contacted Ben Cheikh via Facebook and had asked for his help in getting the girl to Syria. Ben Cheikh said he had not known her true age.
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