Al-Qaida agent tells judge he's sorry

PEORIA -- An admitted al-Qaida sleeper agent tells a judge that he's sorry he ever helped the terrorist organization and is glad his actions never led to any harm.

Ali al-Marri wept through 10 minutes of testimony during his sentencing hearing Thursday before federal Judge Michael Mihm.

The 44-year-old Qatar native told the judge that he'd been punished enough by missing the first words of his youngest son.

Al-Marri faces up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in May to conspiring to help al-Qaida.

He was arrested in December 2001. He was declared an enemy combatant in 2003 and held without charges until last year.