US President Barack Obama. AP
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — An Uzbekistan national charged with threatening the life of President Barack Obama was also charged Thursday with providing material aid to terrorism.
Ulugbek Kodirov acquired weapons and explosives meant to be used in an attempt to kill Obama, federal prosecutors in Alabama said.
The 22-year-old will plead guilty during a hearing set for Friday afternoon, said defense lawyer Lance Bell, who declined further comment. An order from U.S. District Judge Abdul K. Kallon explained the legal process for entering a guilty plea.
Kodirov was arrested last July at an extended-stay hotel in suburban Birmingham after prosecutors said he obtained an automatic rifle from an undercover agent. Authorities previously said Kodirov repeatedly threatened to kill Obama. Kodirov had contacted someone who became a confidential informant for the government, prosecutors said.
Jihadist materials were among the items found in Kodirov’s possession, according to court documents.
Records show Kodirov signed a waiver agreeing to skip a trial on the earlier indictment of threatening Obama’s life, and a leader in Birmingham’s Islamic community signed the document as a witness. There wasn’t any explanation of a possible relationship between the men.
Kodirov was in the country illegally after obtaining a student visa but never enrolling in school, authorities said.