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Iraqi native sentenced to nearly five years in weapons case
An Iraqi-born man arrested while trying to buy machine guns and hand grenades from undercover agents was sentenced Monday to nearly five years in prison.
Ahmed Hassan Al-Uqaily, 34, was arrested last October during a sting operation prompted by the man's alleged threat about "going jihad" against the United States, investigators said.
The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force said Al-Uqaily paid $1,000 for two disassembled machine guns, four disassembled hand grenades and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Al-Uqaily pleaded guilty in May before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Echols to illegal possession of weapons and possession of unregistered firearms.
Under a plea agreement reached earlier this year, Al-Uqaily was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years supervised release. He can be deported to Iraq after he serves the prison time.
"The court believes this sentence is fair and reasonable under the circumstances," Echols said.
Defense attorney David Baker declined to comment.
http://www.tkb.org/NewsStory.jsp?storyID=91569