Amine El Khalifi (Arabic: أمين محمد الخليفي; born c. 1983) is a Moroccan man who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for plotting to carry out a suicide bombing on the United States Capitol.
[2][3] On June 22, 2012, El Khalifi pleaded guilty in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia of trying to carry out a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. Capitol Building in February 2012 as part of what he intended to be a terrorist operation and was sentenced to 30 years in prison the following September.
[1][2] He worked at odd jobs and had occasional minor brushes with the law, including a marijuana charge and traffic violations.
[7] El Khalifi attracted attention in 2010, when his suburban Virginia landlord called police after the man allegedly threatened to beat him up.
[1][2][3] El Khalifi watched as the man produced an AK-47 rifle, two revolvers and ammunition, and discussed being ready to "fight back".
El Khalifi allegedly told Yusaf that he wanted to carry out a mass shooting at a Washington, D.C. restaurant frequented by U.S. military officers.
[9] On January 15, El Khalifi changed his plan, allegedly telling under cover officers that he now wanted to carry out a suicide bombing.
[8] "Today's case underscores the continuing threat we face from homegrown violent extremists," remarked Assistant Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
"[9] On February 22, El Khalifi appeared in court before Judge John Anderson and waived his rights to preliminary and detention hearings.
[7] At a hearing on June 22, 2012, before U.S. District Court Judge James C. Cacheris, El Khalifi pleaded guilty[4] to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction (specifically, a destructive device consisting of an improvised explosive device) against U.S. property, namely, the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. As part of the plea agreement, the United States and El Khalifi agree that a sentence within a range of 25 years to 30 years' incarceration is the appropriate disposition of this case.