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Hearing set for Aurora teen charged in terror sting

An 18-year-old Aurora teen accused of seeking to join an al-Qaida-affiliated group in Syria will learn today if he must remain in jail as he awaits trial.

Abdella Ahmad Tounisi is to appear today at a detention hearing in federal court in Chicago. Prosecutors plan to argue that the teenager poses a threat and should remain behind bars.

The FBI allegedly snared the American-born teen through a sham website that claimed it could hook users up with extremist groups.

Tounisi was arrested at O’Hare International Airport two weeks ago. He was planning to travel to Syria.

He’s charged with attempting to provide material support to foreign terrorists. If convicted, he faces a maximum 15-year prison term.

Tounisi hasn’t entered a plea.

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