Long sentence for man accused of trying to aid Islamic State

CHICAGO – An Illinois man who believed he was giving phones to help the Islamic State group commit violence was sentenced Friday to 13 1/2 years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood said Edward Schimenti was more culpable of the two men convicted by a jury in 2019. But she also said the crime was “on the less serious end of a scale that starts at a very serious level,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Schimenti didn’t know that he was dealing with a government informant when he agreed to get phones to use as detonators, according to prosecutors.

“Drench that land with … they blood,” Schimenti told the man before taking him to an airport for a purported trip to Syria, according to the government.

The FBI began investigating the Zion, Illinois, man based on social media posts in favour of Islamic State.

“In the end, your honour, really I guess I’m just asking for another chance at life,” Schimenti told the judge while apologizing.

His lawyers said Schimenti was “consistently manipulated” by the government “until he took the bait.”