Homicidal driver sentenced to prison

RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A man who claimed the will of God pushed him to drive into a crowd of students will spend as long as 33 years in a North Carolina prison, a judge has ruled.

Orange County Superior Judge Carl Fox ruled Tuesday the minimum prison sentence for Mohammed Taheri-Azar, who pleaded guilty to nine counts of attempted first-degree murder, is 26 years and two months, the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer said.

"One of the things our government won't tolerate -- and after 9/11 our citizens won't tolerate -- is trying to use Americans as punching bags or targets for terrorist acts or mindless acts," Fox said.

The vehicular attack took place in March 2006 on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus. Taheri-Azar drove his rented sport utility vehicle into The Pit, a spot near the university's student union where students were gathered.

The News & Observer said after the attack, which resulted in some injuries but no deaths, Taheri-Azara alleged that it was a response to the U.S. government's targeting of Muslims throughout the world.