A Massachusetts man is expected to plead guilty of planning to fly remote-controlled model planes with explosives into the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol, the Christian Science Monitor is reporting. Rezwan Ferdaus, a Muslim-American from Ashland, will plead to two charges, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court today by his lawyers and prosecutors.
Ferdaus was arrested in September after federal employees posing as al-Qaida members delivered materials he allegedly ordered. The materials included grenades, machine guns and what he thought was 24 pounds of C-4 explosives.
As part of the plea agreement, Ferdaus’ lawyers and prosecutors said he will plead guilty to attempting to provide material support to terrorists. He’ll also plead to attempting to damage and destroy federal buildings by means of an explosive. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are looking for a 17-year sentence. Under the agreement, four other charges will be dismissed.
Authorities said the explosives never posed a threat to the public. The explosives ere always under the control of federal agents during the operation.
Counter-terrorism experts also said it would have been nearly impossible for Ferdaus to pose any large-scale harm anyway, because the aircraft he wanted to use was too small. It also couldn’t carry enough explosives and are too difficult to fly.
Written by: Karen Benardello
