CINCINNATI, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- An Ohio man accused of planning an Islamic State-inspired attack on the U.S. Capitol pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Christopher Lee Cornell, whose Twitter alias also identifies him as Raheel Mahrus Ubaydah, pleaded not guilty to one charge each of attempted murder of government employees, solicitation to commit an attempted murder and possessing a firearm with furtherance of an attempted crime of violence.
He was arrested Jan. 14 after he attempted to purchase firearms.
He first came under investigation by federal authorities after showing support for a violent jihad on Twitter.
Cornell met up with an undercover government official on Oct. 17 and 18 in Cincinnati. He allegedly told the official he planned to detonate pipe bombs at the U.S. Capitol and shoot at employees after the devices went off, government documents indicate.
He was officially indicted Wednesday and entered his plea before a federal magistrate judge in Cincinnati. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Cornell is being held without bail pending trial.
Cornell requested that his Muslim name be used in all court proceedings, not his legal name. U.S. District Magistrate Judge Stephanie Bowman declined.
