Final Three Terrorism Defendants Sentenced

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has handed down a 35-year prison term for the last of nine Minnesota men sentenced for plotting to travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State group.

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis told 22-year-old Guled Omar he didn't believe his tearful apologies. However, the 35-year sentence was less than the 40 years prosecutors sought.

Two other members of what Davis calls a "terrorist cell" were sentenced earlier Wednesday to 30 years in prison apiece. A jury convicted all three in June of conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and conspiracy to commit murder outside the U.S.

Six other defendants, who pleaded guilty, were sentenced Monday and Tuesday to terms ranging from time served to 15 years, with long terms of supervised release.

____________________________________________________________________

A judge has sentenced two Minnesota men to 30 years in prison apiece for their roles in a plot to travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State group.

The sentences handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael Davis on Wednesday match what federal prosecutors were seeking for 22-year-old Mohamed Farah and 22-year-old Abdirahman Daud.

The sentencing hearing is underway for the last of the nine Minnesota men convicted in the case. Prosecutors are seeking 40 years for Guled Omar, who was a leader of a group that the judge has deemed a "terrorist cell."

Sentences handed down Monday and Tuesday for other six defendants, who pleaded guilty instead of going to trial, ranged from time served to 15 years, with long terms of supervised release for all.

_________________________________________________________________________