A North Carolina man accused of plotting U.S. terror attacks with a member of the Islamic State group has pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge. The man 10 of age Justin Sullivan of Morganton pleaded guilty Tuesday in Asheville to one count of attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries. A sentencing hearing hasn’t been scheduled, although the release says both sides agree a life sentence is appropriate.
Sullivan, whose plot unraveled when he confided in an undercover FBI agent, admitted his guilt in court Tuesday in Asheville, North Carolina, and said he had agreed to accept a sentence of life in prison. Sullivan admitted he conspired with Junaid Hussain, a senior member of Islamic State responsible for online recruitment, U.S. officials said. There were frequent contacts between the American, who was a teenager at the time, and Hussain before federal agents moved in to arrest Sullivan in June of last year.
Sullivan told the agent on June 7, 2015, that he intended to get an assault rifle.
Sullivan said to the agent,: “Just kill a few people so that I know you are truthful. Just shoot them and leave. Wear a mask. Do it at night.” He also said, “I’ll kill people this month … I want a car bomb,” according to the release.
“Just kill a few people so that I know you are truthful. Just shoot them and leave. Wear a mask. Do it at night.””
I’ll kill people this month … I want a car bomb,”
-according to the release.
The agent spoke with Sullivan again on June 8 and told him they would use homemade silencers on their weapons and would kill 500 people.
Sullivan spoke to the agent on June 15 and said he was angry about 18 airstrikes that had happened that day. The complaint said Sullivan and the agent agreed to ship the silencer by U.S. Postal Service because it was the “best because laws protect the mail.” The agent agreed that he would write “Happy Birthday” on the package for security purposes.
