Plea negotiations ongoing for Aurora cousins charged in terror case
Attorneys for Aurora cousins charged with conspiring to attack a Joliet military base in support of Islamic State militants will get more time to review evidence against the pair, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee granted the request for time to review "voluminous discovery" that the government gave to defense lawyers during a brief hearing Tuesday.
Jonas Edmonds, 29, and Hasan Edmonds, 22, 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.
The defendants - who are U.S. citizens and graduates of West Aurora High School - pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year. But prosecutors say that could change.
"I fully expect a change of plea in this case," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Barry Jonas, noting ongoing plea negotiations with defense attorney James A. Graham, who represents Jonas Edmonds, and Paul Flynn, who represents Hasan Edmonds.
Prosecutors say undercover FBI agents began communicating with the cousins via text message and Facebook in January. They say Hasan Edmonds planned to travel to Cairo, Egypt, to meet up with Islamic State militants. Meanwhile, Jonas Edmonds was going to infiltrate and attack the Joliet National Guard base while wearing his cousin's uniform, authorities allege.
Jonas Edmonds hoped the attack on the base would result in more than 100 fatalities, prosecutors said. Hasan Edmonds told an undercover FBI agent he wanted to "bring the flames of war to the heart" of America, authorities said.
Hasan Edmonds was arrested March 25 as he attempted to board a flight to Cairo from Midway. Jonas Edmonds was arrested several hours later at his home. The cousins next appear in court on Nov. 19.