Suburban Chicago Man Gets 12 Years For Terror Aid Effort

CHICAGO (AP) -- A federal judge has sentenced a suburban Chicago man to 12 years in prison for trying to help the Islamic State terrorist group by providing cellphones to be used as bomb detonators.

Thirty-eight-year-old Joseph Jones of Zion was sentenced after a jury convicted him in 2019 of conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization.

Prosecutors sought a 17-year term while Jones' attorneys sought a sentence of time served, or nearly four years.

Jones spoke during the hearing, saying, "I am not a terrorist. I never had any intention of doing anything involving this crime."

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