An Alexandria man who federal authorities said made an attempted suicide bomb attack on the Capitol pleaded guilty Friday as part of a plea deal in federal court.
Amine El Khalifi, an illegal immigrant from Morocco, believed he had been working with al Qaeda operatives but, in fact, had been targeted by the FBI in an undercover operation. Federal prosecutors say he wanted to carry out a suicide bomb attack on the Capitol in February, but instead was arrested in a parking garage wearing what he believed to be a vest loaded with explosives.
Khalifi, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction against U.S. property on Friday. As part of a plea agreement, he will likely be sentenced to 25 to 30 years in prison at his Sept. 14 hearing.
