Saudi gets life in jail for US bomb plot

Washington, Nov 14 (IANS) A Saudi man who plotted to bomb targets in the US has been sentenced to life in prison.

Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, ex-college student in Texas, was convicted in June of trying to use a weapon of mass destruction. He received the sentence Tuesday in Amarillo, Texas.

Prosecutors said Aldawsari had collected bomb-making material in his Texas apartment and researched possible targets, including the Dallas home of ex-president George W. Bush.

Although Aldawsari apologised Tuesday for “these bad actions”, Judge Donald E. Walter said the evidence against him was overwhelming, Xinhua reported.

“But the bottom line is that but by the grace of God there would be dead Americans,” Walter said. “You would have done it. In every step, it was you all alone.”

Aldawsari was lawfully admitted into the US in 2008 on a student visa and was enrolled at South Plains College near Lubbock, Texas to study business.

He was arrested by FBI in February 2011. According to court documents, Aldawsari, 22, had been researching online about how to construct an IED using chemicals.

He had also acquired or taken a substantial step toward acquiring most of the ingredients and equipment necessary to construct an IED.

Documents showed that he had conducted online research of several potential US targets such as nuclear power plants and homes of three former soldiers who were in Iraq.

He also allegedly described his desire for violent jihad and martyrdom in blog postings and a personal journal.

IANS 2012-11-14 07:08:25