Attorneys: Aurora cousins to plead guilty in terror plot
Aurora cousins whom federal authorities accuse of planning to attack a Joliet military base and join Islamic State militants are expected to plead guilty to the charges next month, prosecutors and a lawyer for one of the men say.
Jonas Edmonds, 29, and Hasan Edmonds, 22, who is a former member of the Illinois National Guard, are being held without bail on charges they conspired to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization.
After a brief hearing Thursday, Jonas Edmonds' case was set for Dec. 9, when he will enter a guilty plea, said James A. Graham, his lawyer. Hasan Edmonds will return to court Dec. 14 and plead guilty, Graham said.
Graham said he expects plea agreements will be in place for both defendants by those dates.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas said he expects both men to plead guilty to two charges, but he declined to say what those charges would be.
Prosecutors say undercover FBI agents began communicating with the cousins - who are U.S. citizens and graduates of West Aurora High School - via text message and Facebook in January. They say Hasan Edmonds planned to travel to Cairo, Egypt, to join Islamic militants. Meanwhile, Jonas Edmonds planned to infiltrate the Joliet National Guard base while wearing his cousin's uniform, according to authorities. Jonas Edmonds intended the attack to claim more than 100 casualties, prosecutors said, as a way of "bringing the flames of war to the heart" of America, authorities said.