2 Brothers Plead Guilty in Portland Terror Case
Two brothers who were among seven people accused of aiding terrorists pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of conspiring to help Al Qaeda and the Taliban during the war in Afghanistan.
Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal, 25, and his brother, Muhammad Ibrahim Bilal, 23, appeared before U.S. District Judge Robert Jones to formally enter their pleas. Jones had announced the plea agreement Wednesday.
The Portland brothers also pleaded guilty to firearms charges in exchange for having the main charge of conspiracy to levy war against the United States dismissed.
In the plea deal, Ahmed Bilal agreed to a prison term of 10 to 14 years, and his younger brother agreed to 8 to 14 years. Jones did not set a sentencing date.
The brothers had been accused of traveling to China with four other men shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in a failed attempt to enter Afghanistan and fight with the Taliban.
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