ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A Burke County man accused of plotting a U.S. terror attack that he discussed with a member of the Islamic State group pleaded guilty Tuesday morning in a federal court in Asheville.
Justin Sullivan, 20, did speak during Tuesday’s court appearance, saying that prosecutors made up lies about him. In the end he pleaded guilty to attempted acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
[ READ: U.S. Attorney announcement of Justin Sullivan Plea ]
"Sullivan was in contact and plotted with now-deceased Syria-based terrorist Junaid Hussain to execute acts of mass violence in the United States in the name of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Mary B. McCord.
Hussain was a prominent ISIL member responsible for online recruitment and provided directions and inspirations for terrorist plots in Western countries. He was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Syria in August 2015.
Federal investigators said Sullivan, of Morganton, planned to kill 1,000 Americans. McCord said Sullivan admitted he planned a mass casualty shooting attack against innocent people in North Carolina and Virginia. He also admitted he had frequent and direct contact with Hussain, who had asked him to make a video of the deadly attack.
Federal prosecutors said Sullivan started watching violent ISIL attacks, such as beheadings, in Sept. 2014 and collected them on his laptops. They said he started conspiring with Hussain in June 2015. The investigation into Sullivan started when he attempted to recruit an undercover FBI employee to help him in the attacks.
"It is frightening to know that the defendant in this case was able to use social media to contact and seek advice from ISIL, a murderous organization," said U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose.
Channel 9 spoke to Sullivan's father, Rich Sullivan, outside of the courthouse. Prosecutors said he saved lives by calling 911 after his son received a gun suppressor in the mail for another planned attack at a nightclub. According to court documents, Sullivan tried to hire someone to kill his parents but that didn't keep his father from going to court.
"It was good to see him," said Rich Sullivan.
Under the plea agreement, Sullivan agreed to a sentence of life in prison.
Murder case against Sullivan
The indictment unsealed in February accused Sullivan of killing his neighbor, 74-year-old John Clark, and stealing his money so he could buy an assault rifle to carry out an IS-inspired shooting at a concert or club.
He told the judge that he will always love his brothers and sisters, despite not having siblings, and objected to accusations that he stole roughly $700 after the murder.
District attorney David Learner spoke briefly after Tuesday’s court appearance, saying the state murder case against Sullivan is a death penalty case, but revealed little else on how the federal case may effect it.
Sullivan still faces capital murder charges for the death of Clark.
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