Leon Nathan Davis

Leon Nathan Davis is a supporter of ISIS.Letitia Stein, “Georgia man pleads guilty to attempting to support Islamic State,” Reuters, May 27, 2015, http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/27/us-usa-georgia-islamic-state-idUSKBN0OC2RZ20150527. He attempted to travel to Syria and join ISIS in October 2014, leaving behind his job as a medical supplements salesman, a wife of two years, and a stepdaughter.Russ Bynum, Associated Press, “Georgia man pleads guilty to seeking to join ISIS,” News 4 Georgia, May 28, 2015, http://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia-news/georgia-man-pleads-guilty-to-seeking-to-join-isis/33260684. Davis was charged with one count of attempting to provide support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.“Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, May 27, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/atlanta/press-releases/2015/georgia-man-pleads-guilty-to-attempting-to-provide-material-support-to-isil.

The FBI arrested Davis on October 24, 2014 at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport while he was checking in for a one-way flight to Turkey.Russ Bynum, Associated Press, “Georgia man pleads guilty to seeking to join ISIS,” News 4 Georgia, May 28, 2015, http://www.news4jax.com/news/georgia-news/georgia-man-pleads-guilty-to-seeking-to-join-isis/33260684. Davis was concurrently violating his parole, which was related to a previous cocaine-trafficking conviction.Erica Wenig, “Georgia Man Pleaded Guilty To Attempting To Support ISIS,” Daily Caller, May 28, 2015, http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/28/georgia-man-pleaded-guilty-to-attempting-to-support-isis/. On May 27, 2015 Davis pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court,“Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, FBI, May 27, 2015, https://www.fbi.gov/atlanta/press-releases/2015/georgia-man-pleads-guilty-to-attempting-to-provide-material-support-to-isil. and on July 28, 2015, he was sentenced to the legal maximum of 15 years in federal prison.Associated Press, “US Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Jail for Trying to Join Isis: ‘I am an American,’” Guardian, July 28, 2015, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/28/man-sentenced-joining-islamic-state.

Davis converted to Islam while in prison between 2005 and 2008. His defense attorney said Davis became radicalized when he left prison and accessed extremist content online.Associated Press, “‘I am an American’: Man who was ‘ready for jihad’ before attempting to join ISIL sobs as he’s given 15 years prison,” National Post (Toronto), July 28, 2015, http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/i-am-an-american-man-who-was-ready-for-jihad-before-attempting-to-join-isil-sobs-as-hes-given-15-years-prison.

Davis is currently incarcerated at Florence Federal Correctional Institution in Colorado, with a scheduled release date of January 23, 2028.“LEON NATHAN DAVIS,” Find an Inmate – Federal Bureau of Prisons, accessed April 14, 2021, https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.

Also Known As

Extremist entity
ISIS
Read Threat Report
Type(s) of Organization:
Insurgent, territory-controlling, religious, terrorist, violent
Ideologies and Affiliations:
Islamist, jihadist, pan-Islamist, Salafist, takfiri
Position(s):
Foreign fighter

ISIS is a violent jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria. The group has declared wilayas (provinces) in Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the North Caucasus. ISIS has also waged attacks in Turkey, Lebanon, France, Belgium, Iraq, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Tunisia, and Kuwait.

  • Rhetoric

2014

“One of my greatest desires is to kill Zionists and bring down Israel and the United States of America.”Associated Press, “‘I am an American’: Man who was ‘ready for jihad’ before attempting to join ISIL sobs as he’s given 15 years prison,” National Post (Toronto), July 28, 2015, http://news.nationalpost.com/news/world/i-am-an-american-man-who-was-ready-for-jihad-before-attempting-to-join-isil-sobs-as-hes-given-15-years-prison.

Date Unknown

Statement in court:

“I was to be smuggled into Syria and at that point in time join ISIS.”Associated Press, “Leon Nathan Davis, Convicted Cocaine Trafficker, Tried to Join ISIS,” NBC News, May 28, 2015, http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/isis-terror/leon-nathan-davis-convicted-cocaine-trafficker-tried-join-isis-n365821.

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Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.

Fact:

On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded southern Israel where, in the space of eight hours, hundreds of armed terrorists perpetrated mass crimes of brutality, rape, and torture against men, women and children. In the biggest attack on Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, 1,200 were killed, and 251 were taken hostage into Gaza—where 101 remain. One year on, antisemitic incidents have increased by record numbers. 

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