Man sentenced to more than 17 years in prison after planning to bomb Pittsburgh church

Nov. 9 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State of Iraq, the Department of Justice said Wednesday.

Mustafa Mousab Alowemer, 24, from Pittsburgh pleaded guilty to providing support to ISIS by planning to bomb a church on the north side of Pittsburgh.

"Alowemer admitted to planning a deadly bombing of a Pittsburgh church in the name of ISIS," Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said in a statement. "The National Security Division was created to protect the nation from terrorist threats and we remain vigilant against those who would plot violent attacks on U.S. soil in furtherance of an extreme ideology."

By plotting to bomb the church, Alowemer hoped to inspire other ISIS supporters in the U.S. to join together and commit similar acts. Alowemer sent instructions on building improvised explosive devices to an undercover FBI agent, who he thought was an ISIS supporter. He also purchased materials that would have been used to build the bomb.

Alowemer then met several times with the undercover agent until he was arrested on June 19, 2019.

"The defendant's plan to bomb a Pittsburgh church and risk death or injury to residents in the area in the name of ISIS was thwarted by the extraordinary work of the Pittsburgh Joint Terrorism Task Force," U.S. Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania, said in a statement. "Our office will continue to hold accountable individuals who threaten the safety of our communities."