Pittsburgh man accused of trying to join ISIS, arrested in FBI raid

A former Pittsburgh resident had his house raided and was arrested in Virginia by the FBI Friday.

The townhouse of Sean Andrew Duncan was raided after federal authorities believed he wanted to join ISIS, according to court documents.

Authorities said the raid took hours. Duncan tried to run and get rid of evidence he had destroyed when the FBI came to his home, according to court documents.

According to court documents, a relative told the FBI that Duncan “converted to Islam, may have been radicalized, and voiced his approval of westerners being beheaded in the Middle East” in February 2016.

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The FBI interviewed Duncan and his wife after they traveled to Turkey that same month, and Duncan deleted his Facebook account two days later, the documents said.

Duncan also allegedly told a detained ISIS supporter that he wanted to join the terrorist organization, according to court documents.

Allegheny County Police, while investigating an unrelated incident, were able to acquire key information on Duncan.

Duncan lived in Aspinwall up until June 2017, police said.

Allegheny County Police were tipped off to his actions after investigating the death of his infant son. Duncan’s 4-month-old son died while at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh on June 6, according to Allegheny County officials.

Police then turned over Duncan's phone to the FBI. It revealed searches for ISIS related material and attacks, weapons, body armor, surveillance and defense tactics.

Earlier this month, the FBI found a Twitter account connected to Duncan with a handle that roughly translates to "The Islamic State," the documents said.

An FBI spokesperson told Channel 11 that Duncan is charged with obstruction of justice, and their investigation is “terrorism-related.” His initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday in Virginia.

Cox Media Group