A man held since 2001 as an alleged Al Qaeda sleeper agent has pleaded guilty to supporting terrorism.
Ali al-Marri entered his plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm in Peoria. He admitted to one count of conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization.
The Bush administration declared al-Marri, a legal U.S. resident, an “enemy combatant” in late 2001 and held him without charges for more than five years at a Navy brig in South Carolina.
The designation was dropped when a federal grand jury in Illinois indicted him on charges of conspiracy and providing material support to terror.
Sentencing is set for July 30.
