Posted on February 13, 2012

Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama

A man from Uzbekistan who pleaded guilty Friday to plotting to kill President Barack Obama with an automatic rifle claimed he was acting at the direction of an Islamic terror group in his home country.

Authorities said Ulugbek Kodirov had discussed trying to kill the president as he campaigned for re-election because he would be out in public more often. {snip}

Defense attorney Lance Bell said the 22-year-old Kodirov avoided a potential life sentence by pleading guilty. He faces up to 30 years in prison, though Bell expected Kodirov to receive about half that. The judge also told Kodirov that he will face deportation once he’s released from prison.

Kodirov pleaded guilty to three counts: Threatening to kill the president, possessing an automatic weapon, and providing material support to terrorists. {snip}

Area Muslims who knew Kodirov were stunned to learn of his plans.

“I really didn’t want to believe it,” said Ashfaq Taufique, president of the Birmingham Islamic Society. “I knew him. He attended mosque. He never demonstrated any radicalization in his behavior, his words.”

{snip}

The plea agreement said that in July 2011, Kodirov claimed he had been communicating with a person known as “the Emir.” Kodirov said the person was a member of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. {snip}

The Emir “asked Kodirov if there was anything Kodirov could do about President Obama since Kodirov was closer geographically to the president than the Emir,” according to his plea agreement.

Kodirov and a person who helped authorities discussed possible ways to kill Obama, including from long distance using a sniper rifle.

The agreement said Kodirov became disheartened when he realized how expensive sniper rifles are and realized he lacked the skill to pull off the shot. Kodirov then decided he could shoot the president from a closer distance in public.

“Kodirov said that he did not care if he got shot and killed, as long as he killed President Obama,” according to the plea deal.

{snip}

On July 11, after the two went to a mosque in Birmingham to pray, Kodirov asked his friend to buy a gun for him so he could kill Obama.

Kodirov told the person he “knew this was what he was supposed to do for Islam,” the plea agreement says.

{snip}

Authorities say Kodirov was in the country illegally because he obtained a student visa but never enrolled in school.

{snip}