A Minnesota man was today sentenced to 15 years in prison and 23 years of supervised release for charges connected to a plot to join the Islamic State group in Syria.
Hamza Ahmed, 21, is one of nine friends in Minnesota's large Somali community who are being sentenced this week for conspiring to join the militant group.
Before he was sentenced, Ahmed told the court he was grateful he was pulled off an airplane in New York in November 2014 as he was about to head overseas, acknowledging it probably saved his life. He also acknowledged that he has some work to do.
"I want you to understand I am not completely changed," Ahmed told US District Judge Michael Davis. "I'm in the process, but nobody changes overnight. I'm trying every day. I want to reach that point."
During the hearing, Davis said Ahmed was deeply involved in the plan to become a fighter for the Islamic State group. At one point, the judge noted the violence in messages Ahmed posted on Twitter, saying: "Of all the defendants in this case, your tweets are the most violent communication we have."
Ahmed said he has hope that he will overcome this and said: "I refuse for this to be my legacy."
Ahmed pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and one count of financial aid fraud. He received 10 years on the terror charge and five years on the other count. The sentences will run consecutively.
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