By: Richard L. Smith
A federal judge in Newark sentenced a New Jersey woman to nearly three years in prison Tuesday for concealing her attempts to provide material support to Syrian foreign terrorist organizations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, FBI-Newark Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy, and FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism Timothy Langan announced.
According to federal authorities, Maria Bell, aka “Maria Sue Bell,” 55, of Hopatcong, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging her with one count of concealing attempts to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations.
Officials said Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents previously filed in this case:
Bell admitted that from February 2018 to November 2018, she knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source, ownership and control of the attempted provision of material support and resources to fighters based in Syria who were members of Jabhat Fath al-sham, also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS) and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Bell admitted that she knew JFS and HTS were designated foreign terrorist organizations, that JFS and HTS have engaged or engaged in terrorist activities.
She admitted the offense to which she pleaded guilty involved the concealment of the attempted provision of funds or other material support or resources with the intent, knowledge, or reason to believe they were to be used to commit or assist in the commission of a violent act.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez se