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Utah man pleads guilty to trying to help the Islamic State carry out a terrorist attack

A Utah man arrested in August 2019 has pleaded guilty to trying to help the Islamic State terrorist organization carry out bomb attacks.

Murat Suljovic, 23, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

According to court documents, Suljovic admitted that in January 2019, while he was living in Utah, he corresponded with two people he believed were members of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, and that he believed they were planning to carry out an attack. The two people were members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

In the plea agreement, Suljovic — who posed online as an Islamic State leader — admitted that in January 2019, he “provided advice about potential targets for a terrorist attack and advice about how to plan an attack.” He also provided a “video bomb-making tutorial” to the other two people, intending to assist them “in carrying out an attack.”

And, by doing so, he “attempted to provide material support to ISIS, knowing that ISIS has engaged and does engage in terrorism.”

Sulojovic remains in custody and his sentencing will be scheduled later. He is facing a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.