US man pleads guilty to supporting Islamic militants

Washington:  A US man pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing material support to Islamic State militants after attempting to travel overseas to join the group, the Department of Justice said.

Leon Nathan Davis was arrested in the Atlanta airport in the southern state of Georgia last October as he attempted to fly to Turkey.

The FBI had been monitoring the 37-year-old Augusta resident for more than a year as he attempted to join IS jihadists, the department said.

Davis, who has been under detention since his arrest, faces up to 15 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

His sentencing hearing will be held following an investigation by the US Probation Office.