Florida

Florida Keys Bomb Plotter Seeks Lenient Prison Sentence

A man convicted of plotting to detonate a backpack bomb on a Florida Keys beach in solidarity with the Islamic State extremist group is asking a judge to sentence him to less than life in prison.

The attorney for 25-year-old Harlem Suarez says in court papers that his parents pressured him to reject a plea deal that carried a maximum 20-year prison sentence. The lawyer also points to Suarez's lack of previous criminal history and psychological issues.

Sentencing is April 18 for Suarez in Key West federal court. He was convicted in January of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and providing material support to a terrorist organization.

Testimony showed Suarez was arrested in 2015 after accepting an inert explosive device from an FBI employee posing as an extremist.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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