U.S. District Court Judge Joan Leonard handed out the first sentence to a member of the Liberty City Seven. Burson Augustin will serve six years in prison. Significantly less than the 30 years prosecutors wanted. Leonard believed he played only a minor role.
Augustin was arrested in 2006, with six other men, on charges of cooperating with al Queda and making plans to blow up the Sears Tower and other federal building. Though, they denied actually supporting terrorism and merely wanted money from an undercover agent they thought was representing al Queda.
There have been two previous mistrials in the controversial case, and two of defendants have been previously acquitted.