Christopher Lee Cornell(Photo: Provided)
CINCINNATI — The Ohio man accused of plotting to attack the U.S. Capitol and who threatened to "put bullets in President Obama's head" has been indicted for allegedly trying to provide support to the
Islamic State, also known as ISIL.
The new charge, included in an indictment filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, is in addition to charges Christopher Lee Cornell already faces.
Court documents say Cornell, 21, of Green Township, attempted to "provide material support and resources" to the terrorist organization.
The "material support," officials said, consisted of him plotting and attempting to execute an attack on the U.S. Capitol. His intent, court documents say, was to kill employees in and around the building.
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Cornell is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for an arraignment. His federal public defenders, Karen Savir and Richard Smith-Monahan, did not return messages seeking comment.
Last summer, the documents say, Cornell wrote an instant message to an FBI informant that he had been in contact with people overseas. He said the attacks were to be conducted in alliance with ISIL.
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Cornell was arrested Jan. 14 by an FBI task force that included Cincinnati and Colerain Township police officers, moments after he bought two semiautomatic rifles and about 600 rounds of ammunition at a Colerain Township gun shop.
Cornell had jihadist videos and information about building bombs on his laptop, court documents say.
He faces up to 15 years in prison on the new charge. He also faces charges of attempted murder of government officials, possession of a gun in furtherance of an attempted violent crime and solicitation to commit a violent crime. He already faced more than 40 years on the previous charges.
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