Hasson’s case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit comes against a backdrop of renewed concern about the rise in domestic terrorism after white supremacists and others stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. In Hasson’s case, prosecutors successfully sought a terrorism-related increase in his punishment, which required the judge to make a finding that Hasson intended to carry out his alleged plot. Hasson was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison in January 2020. ADADAt issue for the three-judge panel Friday was whether the sentencing add-on applies only to people convicted of an underlying federal crime of terrorism. Federal law includes a long list of offenses that qualify as “federal crimes of terrorism,” including 51 that apply to domestic acts.

Source: Washington Post March 12, 2021 11:02 UTC