HONOLULU (AP) - The Latest on a U.S. soldier facing a detention hearing for terrorism charges (all times local):
2:50 p.m.
The U.S. soldier accused of pledging loyalty to the Islamic State group and plotting to commit a mass shooting has been ordered held without bail in federal court in Honolulu.
Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang’s court appointed attorney Birney Bervar did not contest the detention of his client during the brief hearing Thursday.
Prosecutors say Kang was immediately arrested after pledging loyalty to the Islamic State group to prevent him from acting on his impulse to commit mass killings.
Kang’s father, Clifford Kang was at courtroom during the hearing.
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11:20 a.m.
Prosecutors say a U.S. soldier accused of pledging loyalty to the Islamic State group must remain locked up because he’s one of the most dangerous defendants charged in federal court in Hawaii.
Prosecutors are asking that Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika Kang be held without bail. A detention hearing is scheduled Thursday.
According to court documents, Kang met with undercover agents posing as Islamic State representatives at a home in Honolulu, where he pledged allegiance to the group and kissed an Islamic State flag.
Prosecutors say Kang was immediately arrested to prevent him from acting on his impulse to commit mass killings in the name of the Islamic State.
Dustin Lyles, who was Kang’s former bunk mate, says he’s shocked to hear the allegations because he never heard Kang express pro-Islamic State views.
11 a.m.
A former bunk mate of a U.S. soldier accused of pledging loyalty to the Islamic State group says they debated conspiracy theories.
Dustin Lyles says Army Sgt. 1st Class Ikaika (ee-ky-kah) Kang believed the moon landing was faked, questioned the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and thought the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were an inside job coordinated by the U.S. government.
Kang is scheduled to appear in federal court in Honolulu Thursday for a detention hearing.
Lyles tells The Associated Press the terrorism charges against Kang come as a shock. He says he never heard Kang express support for the enemy.
Lyles is medically retired from the Army and says they bunked together for a month in 2013.
Kang’s lawyer says that Kang may suffer from service-related mental health issues.
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This story has been corrected to show that Kang’s lawyer says he may suffer from service-related mental health issues, not that he does suffer from service-related mental health issues.
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