Amine El Khalifi, 29, of Virginia is expected to make a second court appearance on Wednesday for a preliminary hearing, after a yearlong FBI investigation with plotting a suicidal bombing inside the U.S. Capitol. El Khalifi was arrested on Friday and charged with the intent to use a weapon of mass destruction. Authorities reported El Khalifi, who is a native of Morocco and lived illegally in the United States for more than 10 years, discussed plans to hit an Alexandria, VA office building and a synagogue with an undercover operative he assumed was a member of al-Qaeda. He later reportedly volunteered to wear a suicide vest and to kill himself in a martyrdom operation at the U.S. Capitol.
El Khalifi said that he would be satisfied if he could kill 30 people in the attack, according to court papers. He faces up to life in prison.
