Man Gets 6 Years in Sears Tower Plot

(AP)  A Miami man convicted of plotting to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower and bomb FBI offices has been sentenced to six years in federal prison.

U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard imposed the sentence Wednesday on 24-year-old Burson Augustin. Four other men are scheduled to be sentenced over the next three days.

Prosecutors sought the maximum 30-year sentence for Augustin. Lenard ruled that sentencing terrorism enhancements should not apply to Augustin, who was not the leader.

Prosecutors said in court papers filed Monday that Lenard should reject pleas for leniency. Ringleader Narseal Batiste faces up to 70 years behind bars, with the other four men facing between 30 and 50 years.

The men were convicted in May of supporting al Qaeda, conspiring to wage war on the U.S. and other charges. There were two mistrials, and two other men were acquitted. All denied plotting terror attacks.

The 110-story Chicago skyscraper is now called the Willis Tower.

[PaGuy1960]

6 years? he got off easy. I'm sure when he gets out he'll be a law abiding citizen.

[chelokee]

Only 6 years! OMG. Unbelievable. This dude should have gotten life.

[skepticalJM]

You know sometimes I think we should institute "banishment" as a sentence. It would be cheaper all around, so we would not have to support these bozos at the public's expense!
Send them all to Siberia or the North Pole.

[thesevenveils]

Supporting an enemy of the state is a capitol offense. As a citizen of the US, if these men are, they should also be tried as spies.

Six years is a slap on the wrist for what this man attempted to do, unless he was sent to a federal prison in Alaska.

[thesevenveils]

al Qaeda has infiltrated the Judaical System' Another present to the people of the US from GW Bush?

[rwsmith29456]

Yeah, and if GW Bush had not eaten that apple in the Garden of Eden we wouldn't be in so much trouble now.

[GTR5]

Only 6 years! Moonshiners get more time than that.

[50BMS13]

GTR5
Exactly why the 911 trial coming to NYC should not be held there. Anything can happen in civil court.

[Dgunner]

That depends on what county and how many relatives of the judge are in the whiskey business.You must live north of the Arkansas border and nowhere near Hot Springs Arkansas.

[ajvw]

"Man Gets 6 Years in Sears Tower Plot
Four Others Expected to be Sentenced This Week After Convicted for Conspiring to Destroy Chicago Landmark"

no mention of the 100s of folks that work there

[jwesel1]

no mention of the 100s of folks that work there
================================================
Probably the judge thought no one in their right minds would live or work in Chicago.