Amine El Khalifi

Amine El Khalifi
أمين محمد الخليفي
Bornc. 1983 (age 40–41)
Morocco
NationalityMoroccan
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Conviction(s)Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction (18 U.S.C. § 2332a)
Criminal penalty30 years imprisonment

Amine El Khalifi (Arabic: أمين محمد الخليفي; born c. 1983) is a Moroccan man who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for plotting to carry out a suicide bombing on the United States Capitol.[1] He was charged with "attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against federal property" and now convicted, faces 30 years in prison.[1]

El Khalifi thought he was working with al-Qaeda operatives, but was actually in contact with undercover FBI agents.[2] He is believed to have no actual ties to al-Qaeda. All arms and support were provided by the FBI, and authorities say the operation never placed the public in danger.[2][3]

On June 22, 2012, El Khalifi pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia of trying to carry out a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. Capitol Building in February 2012 as part of what he intended to be a terrorist operation and was sentenced to 30 years in prison the following September.[4][5]

  1. ^ a b Horwitz, Sari; William Wan; Del Quentin Wilber (February 17, 2012). "Federal agents arrest Amine El Khalifi". Washington Post. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "FBI 'anti-terror' arrest near US Capitol". BBC News. February 17, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Pickler, Nedra; Tucker, Eric (February 17, 2012). "Amine El Khalifi Arrested: Capitol Suicide Bombing Attempt Halted". HuffingtonPost.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  4. ^ "Virginia Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Carry out Suicide Bomb Attack on U.S. Capitol". June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Sentencing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).