A 34-year-old American has been charged with providing support to the Islamic State group after being captured in Syria by Syrian Democratic Forces, pictured here at the funeral of a local official (Delil SOULEIMAN)

Washington (AFP) – A 34-year-old Texas man who was captured in Syria and brought to the United States has been charged with providing support to the Islamic State group.

Warren Christopher Clark, 34, of Sugar Land, Texas, appeared before a federal court judge in Houston on Friday, the Department of Justice said.

It said Clark, a convert to Islam, was charged in an indictment unsealed on Friday with providing material support to IS — which the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

The Justice Department said Clark was captured in Syria by members of the Syrian Democratic Forces, an anti-IS alliance of Kurds and Arabs, and transferred to US custody this week.

“The arm of American Justice has a lengthy reach,” US Attorney Ryan Patrick said in a statement.

“The FBI continues to aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to join the ranks of (IS’s) foreign fighters or try to provide support for other terrorist organizations,” FBI special agent Perrye Turner said.

If convicted, Clark, a former substitute school teacher, could face 20 years in prison.

Clark, in an interview with NBC News before his transfer to the United States, said he went to Syria to become an English teacher for IS and was never a fighter.

“I wanted to go see exactly what the group was about, and what they were doing,” said Clark, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Ameriki.

He told NBC he crossed into Syria from Turkey in 2015.

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