A history professor at Ohio's Kent State University is being investigated by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security over allegations that he tried to support the extremist Islamic State group.
A spokeswoman for the FBI's Cleveland office, Special Agent Donna Cambeiro, confirmed to local newspaper The Record-Courier that federal agents are investigating associate history professor Julio Pino.
"We are conducting an ongoing investigation," she said Wednesday.
Student news outlet KentWired broke the story on Tuesday that Pino was being investigated. Citing an unnamed FBI agent, the outlet reported that several faculty members and students were interviewed on Tuesday about Pino's allege support for the extremist group. The agent said Pino is also being investigated for allegedly "recruiting students to join ISIS," the publication reported.
Pino has adamantly denied the claims. In an interview with the student website, Pino maintained that he had not done anything illegal and said he was not a supporter of the Islamic State group.
"Everything that I have done… is perfectly legal. I’ve not broken the law," said Pino. "I don’t advocate that anyone else break the law. So I will stand by that statement."
He also said that he has not discussed ISIS with students in his classes.
In the interview, Pino said he currently teaches two classes at the university and plans to continue to do so in the coming semester and year. Pino, who is originally from Cuba, converted to Islam in 2000 and has been practicing the religion for 16 years.
Kent State responded to reports of the investigation with a brief statement and said Pino was still teaching classes.
"Kent State is fully cooperating with the FBI," it said. "As this is an ongoing investigation, we will have no further comment. The FBI has assured Kent State that there is no threat to campus."
Kent State University President Beverly Warren tweeted about Pino in response to tweets from students, saying he did not speak on behalf of the university.
Prof. Pino doesn't speak on behalf of @KentState. We find his comments reprehensible & counter to our core values. https://t.co/TRWLTo6FBn— Beverly Warren (@PresBWarren) January 20, 2016
The ISIS claims weren't Pino's first brush with controversy at the university -- he reportedly shouted, "Death to Israel!" during a speech by a former Israeli diplomat at the university.
At the time, the university president condemned the outburst and called the statement "reprehensible" and "an embarrassment to our university."
Pino later told the website Inside Higher Ed that he made the comment "for the sake of the children of Palestine, and no other reason."