US Army National Guard soldier in Illinois pleads guilty to attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization - ISIL

CHICAGO — A soldier in the U.S. Army National Guard pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges that he conspired with his cousin to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization in the Middle East.

Hasan R. Edmonds, 23, of Aurora, Illinois, pleaded guilty to two charges: one count of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIL.

These charges and guilty plea were announced Dec. 14 by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Fardon of the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Anderson of the FBI’s Chicago Division. This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force. The following agencies provided significant assistance to this investigation: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Illinois State Police, the Aurora Police Department, and the Illinois National Guard.

According to the plea agreement, Hasan Edmonds and his cousin, Jonas M. Edmonds, devised a plan for Hasan Edmonds to travel to the Middle East to wage violence on behalf of ISIL.  Hasan Edmonds admitted that on March 25, 2015, Jonas Edmonds drove Hasan Edmonds to Midway International Airport in Chicago so that he could board a flight to the Middle East. According to the plea agreement, after dropping off Hasan Edmonds, Jonas Edmonds went to Hasan Edmonds’ residence and retrieved several of Hasan Edmonds’ National Guard uniforms, which Jonas Edmonds planned to wear as a disguise during a planned attack at the National Guard base in Joliet, Illinois. Hasan Edmonds is a member of the U.S. Army National Guard and had trained at the Joliet installation.

Law enforcement agents on the FBI’s Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested Hasan Edmonds at Midway Airport before he could board his flight.  Shortly thereafter the agents arrested Jonas Edmonds at his home.  The cousins are both U.S. citizens.

“Hasan and Jonas Edmonds conspired to provide material support to ISIL,” said Carlin. “They admitted planning to wage violence on behalf of ISIL in the Middle East and to conduct an attack on our soil.  Thanks to the efforts of many prosecutors, agents and analysts, we were able to ensure these plotters did not attain their violent endgames, and with these guilty pleas, they will be held accountable. Counterterrorism remains the department’s highest priority, and we will continue use all available tools to combat ISIL, a foreign terrorist organization that rapes, murders and enslaves Muslims and non-Muslims alike.”

“The top priority of federal law enforcement is to protect the safety of our citizens, both here and abroad,” said Fardon.  “We will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who align themselves with ISIL and its mission of brutal violence.”

The charges against Hasan Edmonds carry a combined maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee of the Northern District of Illinois scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 18.

Jonas Edmonds, 30, of Aurora, pleaded guilty last week to one count of conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and one count of making a materially false statement to a law enforcement officer regarding an offense involving international terrorism. He faces up to 23 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 27 by U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee, Northern District of Illinois.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and John Kness of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Lolita Lukose of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.