A man sentenced to 30 years in prison Monday for plotting an ISIS-inspired assault on the U.S. Capitol defiantly shouted that Allah, not the presiding judge, was “in control” as he was escorted out of a federal district courtroom in Cincinnati.
Christopher Lee Cornell, 22, wanted to attack President Obama during the State of the Union address, court documents showed, and he pled guilty to attempted murder of U.S. officials, as well as two other offenses. U.S. District Judge Sandra Beckwith gave Cornell the maximum time prosecutors sought, casting doubt on Cornell’s expressed contrition. The Associated Press has more:
As he was led out of the courtroom in shackles, Cornell, who earlier offered apologies while asking the judge to give him “a second chance,” criticized the court system and shouted: “Allah is in control, not this judge!” The FBI arrested Cornell in January 2015. … In their sentencing memo filed earlier, prosecutors said Cornell continued in jail to promote violence, trying to circulate his “Message to America” call for others to “fight against the disbelieving people of America.” Authorities said he was able to circumvent a security program on a jail computer terminal meant for legal research to make internet posts about his Capitol attack plan, to call for others to wage “violent jihad” and to seek retribution against the confidential informant.
More from the AP here.
