Feds say Illinois militia leader should be put in prison for life for bombing mosque.

ByChuck Goudie and Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel and Ross Weidner WLS logo
Saturday, August 14, 2021
Feds say Illinois militia leader should be put in prison for life for bombing mosque
A jury last December found that Hari-led mosque attackers used a shrapnel-infused pipe bomb to attack the Imam's office, what prosecutors now say Hari referred to as a "hole in one

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois' White Rabbit militia boss should face "the terror enhancement" according to federal prosecutors, for leading a team of domestic terrorists in a firebomb attack on a Minnesota mosque. Even though no one was killed or seriously hurt, the government says the punishment should be life in prison.

Security cameras at the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota recorded the moment of detonation on August 5, 2017; a 20-pound black powder bomb propelled by gasoline and diesel fuel.

The terror team led by a resident of downstate Clarence, Illinois. A newly-filed court record shows the accused White Rabbit militia leader recently came out as transgender and changed her name to Emily Claire Hari in Minnesota state court.

A jury last December found that Hari-led mosque attackers used a shrapnel-infused pipe bomb to attack the Imam's office, what prosecutors now say Hari referred to as a "hole in one."

The motive, according to Hari's accomplices who testified against their former leader, was to "send a message that Muslims are not wanted in America."

In asking for a life sentence, prosecutors note Hari also directed the White Rabbits to commit multiple other violent crimes including an attempt to burn down an abortion clinic in downstate Champaign on November 7, 2017.

"So they are looking at this very much as a hate prompted domestic terrorist incident, and that's why they're seeking the maximum sentence," said ABC 7 legal analyst Gil Soffer.

Hari's sentencing recommendation tells the life story of a young "pacifist" who "had never said anything negative about Muslims" but was motivated by "hate driven news stories," and "anti-Muslim ideas," even from "elected top officials in government." Hari objects to a terrorism-enhanced sentence and asks instead for the mandatory minimum 30-years.

For the 50-year old Hari, even 30-years could amount to a life sentence. The judge will decide what sentence to impose on September 13th. Hari's two co-defendants in the mosque bombing pleaded guilty and testified Hari believed the mosque was training ISIS fighters. That was not true.