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Judge: US-born woman who joined Islamic State not citizen

Posted at 5:58 AM, Nov 16, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-16 08:03:30-05

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A federal judge has ruled the U.S. government was correct when it determined a woman who joined the Islamic State group was not an American citizen despite her birth in the country.

A lawyer for the family of the woman said Friday that they plan to appeal the ruling.

Hoda Muthana was born in New Jersey to a diplomat from Yemen and grew up in Alabama.

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In 2014, she left the U.S. to join IS apparently after becoming radicalized online. While she was overseas, the government determined she was not a U.S. citizen because her father was a diplomat at the time of her birth and revoked her passport.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton upheld that decision Thursday. Family attorney Charles Swift says they will review the ruling.