Fort Dix Six Sentencing Completed; Lengthy Terms For Five Defendants

Another day, another life sentence imposed on a Fort Dix Six terror plotter. This time, it's Mohamad Shnewer who was sentenced to life in prison for his role in plotting to attack Fort Dix or other military installations.

Shnewer, a former cab driver from Jordan with a thin beard, sat quietly shackled as Kugler handed down the life-plus-30-years sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.

It was Shnewer who was responsible for much inflammatory rhetoric authorities tape recorded with help from two informants. At one point, he volunteered to drive a hijacked gasoline truck into a military base for a suicide mission. He also suggested firing a rocket into the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during the Army-Navy football game.

Before being sentenced, Shnewer read a five-minute statement, proclaiming his innocence, quoting the Koran and apologizing to his family and co-defendants.

"I might have spoken like a jihadist," he said. "But I could never take another person's life.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hammer said Shnewer was at the plot's epicenter and the first to propose attacking Fort Dix. He was "fully radicalized," Hammer said.

So, he admits to speaking like a jihadi, but claims he couldn't take another life. Gotcha. I guess that's what separates the leaders and the followers. He had no problem inciting others to carry out the jihad, but as a leader, he's just as responsible for their actions.

UPDATE:
Serdar Tatar, 25, will get 33 years in prison for his role in the plot. The sixth person involved, Agron Abdullahu, previously got 20 months in prison for weapons charges stemming from the terror plot.