An American man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for supporting the Islamic State in Iraq & Syria (ISIS) and for aiding two men who planned to attack a contest on drawing the Prophet Muhammad in 2015, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Prosecutors pursued a life sentence for Arizona resident Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, who officials said supplied the guns his two friends used in the attempted assault.
{mosads}The two gunmen were killed by a SWAT team before they were able to enter the event in Garland, Texas. A security officer was shot in the ankle, though no attendees were hurt, CNN reported at the time.
One of the gunmen, Elton Simpson, tweeted just before the attack that he and the other attacker pledged allegiance to “Amirul Mu’mineen,” likely a reference to ISIS emir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
Prosecutors alleged that Kareem attempted to fund the terrorist group through an insurance scheme, according to the Associated Press report.
It is not clear if ISIS inspired the assault or if its operatives directed the attackers to carry it out.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary McCord commended the ruling in a statement Wednesday afternoon, using an alternate acronym for ISIS.
“Following the first jury trial in the country involving a homeland attack committed in the name of ISIL, today’s sentence holds Abdul Kareem accountable for conspiring to provide material support to the foreign terrorist organization and other federal offenses,” McCord said.
“The defendant conspired with Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi to provide material support to ISIL and to transport firearms in interstate commerce with the intent to commit murder and aggravated assault.”
—Updated at 3:40 p.m.