Accused would-be terrorist from Aurora pleads guilty
One of two Aurora cousins indicted on charges they conspired to provide support for a foreign terrorist organization pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court.
Under a negotiated agreement, Jonas Edmonds, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically ISIS which is also referred to as ISIL or the Islamic State, and to making false statements to a federal officer regarding an offense involving international terrorism.
The negotiated agreement calls for a total sentence of 21 years in prison on the two charges, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas and defense attorney James A. Graham. However, U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee is not bound by that agreement. Edmonds' sentencing is set for Jan. 27, 2016.
The total maximum sentence Edmonds could receive under the law on both charges is 23 years, served at 85 percent, and a total maximum fine of $500,000.
Graham pointed out in court and afterward to the press that "his client's plea does not include cooperation with the government on this or any other investigation."
Edmonds wife and children reside out of state and did not appear at Wednesday's hearing, but Graham says they support Edmonds, who before his arrest did web design and online marketing.
Beginning in January 2015, Jonas Edmonds' cousin, Hasan Edmonds, a member of the Army National Guard of Illinois, began communicating online with someone he believed was an ISIL fighter in Libya, but who was really an undercover FBI agent, Jonas said. During those conversations, Hasan Edmonds expressed support for ISIL and indicated he and his cousin, Jonas Edmonds would willingly travel to the Middle East to fight for the group or stage attacks in the United States if ordered to do so, Jonas said.
In February, the cousins indicated they intended to travel from the U.S. to support ISIL and were introduced to a second undercover agent who purported to assist them, Jonas said. Hasan Edmonds told the undercover agent he bought an airplane ticket to Cairo, Egypt and intended to travel to join ISIL. Several weeks later, the cousins met with the undercover agent, at which time Jonas Edmonds told the agent that after his cousin left, he (Jonas) intended to attack the National Guard unit to which Hasan Edmonds had been assigned, with an anticipated "body count" of 100 to 150 people, prosecutors said. To that end, Hasan Edmonds agreed to provide Jonas with a list of officers for Jonas to kill.
On March 24, the cousins drove with the second undercover agent to the Joliet National Guard base to conduct surveillance and plan the attack, prosecutors said. The next day, Jonas Edmonds drove his cousin to Midway International Airport then retrieved several of his cousin's uniforms to wear as a disguise during the military base attack, said Barry Jonas.
Hasan Edmonds was arrested that day as he was about to board his flight. Jonas Edmonds was arrested several hours later.
Both men are being held without bail.
Hasan Edmonds is scheduled to enter a guilty plea at hearing on Monday.