Accused Bomb Plotter Amine El Khalifi Pleads Guilty

(Alexandria, Virginia)

A U.S. judge on Wednesday ordered a Moroccan man to be held on charges that he planned a suicide bombing attack against Congress, believing he was working with al Qaeda militants when in fact his contacts were undercover agents.

Amine El Khalifi, 29 and an illegal immigrant, was arrested last week and charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against U.S. government property, intending to detonate a bomb and to shoot people.

He was arrested just blocks from the Capitol and had been the subject of a lengthy undercover investigation by the FBI who said the public was never in danger because he was monitored and only given weapons that were inoperable.

On Friday, Amine El Khalifi pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Sentencing is scheduled for September 14. A prison term of 25 to 30 years is expected.