Florida man gets 18 years in federal prison for supporting Islamic State extremist group

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man accused in 2020 of plotting terror attacks in the U.S. and acquiring an arsenal of weapons has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison. Court records show that Mohammed Al-Azhari was sentenced Thursday in Tampa federal court. He pleaded guilty in February to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State extremist group. The 26-year-old U.S. citizen admitted that he scouted potential terrorism targets in the Tampa Bay area, sought to acquire multiple weapons and pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State. The FBI recorded many conversations between Al-Azhari and confidential or undercover sources in which he discussed avenging imprisoned Islamic State fighters.