NEW YORK: A US Air Force veteran charged with trying to join Daesh is set to go on trial in New York, one of the first of more than 75 Daesh-related cases brought against Americans to reach trial.

Tairod Nathan Webster Pugh, 48, was detained by Turkish authorities in Istanbul in January 2015 after he returned from a year-long stint living in Egypt.

US investigators say they found a letter to Pugh’s Egyptian wife on his computer declaring his intention to “defend the Daesh” and saying he had only two options: “Victory or Martyr.” They also discovered approximately 180 jihadist videos on his laptop, including one that showed Daesh militants executing several prisoners, according to prosecutors.

Pugh is charged with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group and with obstructing a federal investigation.

Pugh appears to be just the second Daesh-related defendant to go on trial.

Pugh served as an avionics specialist in the Air Force from 1986 to 1990 and moved to San Antonio around 1998, when he converted to Islam and became increasingly radical, authorities say.

In 2001, while Pugh was working as a mechanic for American Airlines, a co-worker tipped off the FBI that Pugh had expressed support for Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, according to court documents.