Teen accused of providing gift cards to help support terrorist group

By MARK PRATT
Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors say an 18-year-old Massachusetts man sent gift cards worth a total of $1,670 to someone he thought was a supporter of the Islamic State group that he intended to be used to fund a war on nonbelievers. Mateo Ventura, of Wakefield, is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Worcester on Thursday on a charge of knowingly concealing the source of material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors say Ventura wanted the gift cards to be sold on the dark web for less than face value with the resulting proceeds going to the Islamic State group. Ventura’s father said outside of court that his son was set up.