Chicago jihadist pleads guilty, 8 years possible

How did Raja Lahrasib Khan misunderstand Islam as a violent religion?  Someone send that man the memo!


From the Denver Post Feb 7 by Michael Tarm


Chicago cabbie pleads guilty in terror case

CHICAGO—A Pakistani-born Chicago taxi driver who prosecutors say could be heard on FBI wiretaps discussing a plan to bomb a stadium pleaded guilty Monday to attempting to send money to a Pakistani-based terrorist with alleged ties to al-Qaida.

Standing before a federal judge in an orange jumpsuit and his ankles shackled, Raja Lahrasib Khan, 58, said he was pleading guilty to one count of two counts of attempting to provide material support terrorism. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped the other count.

The agreement recommends a sentence of between five and eight years, well short of the maximum 15 years for a conviction of a single count of providing material support. A sentencing date was set for May 30, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Outside court, defense attorney Thomas Durkin said finding jurors who could give his client a fair trial would have been difficult, suggesting that was one reason Khan accepted the deal with prosecutors.

"The word 'al-Qaida' scares the bejesus out of people and that's all (jurors) have to hear," he said. "But it was a difficult case ... and the (agreement) was fair under the circumstances."

Prosecutors did not speak to reporters after Monday's hearing.

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