Eleventh convicted Va. jihadist sentenced 15 years

The government had sought 30 years to life against Chandia for his involvement in a “Virginia Jihad” group lead by Ali-al-Timini. The group played paintball in the woods around Fredericksburg in 2000 and 2001 as a form of military exercise.

Though prosecutors admitted Chandia had no role in the military training games, he did facilitate the sale of 50,000 paintballs to Lashkar-e-Taiba, which the United States regards as a terrorist group. The group is based in Pakistan’s portion of the disputed Kashmir region.

“With Allah as my witness, I am innocent and don't deserve to spend a single day in prison,” said Chandia, 29, just prior to being sentenced in the U.S. District Courthouse for the Eastern District of Virginia, “I'm going to prison because of some toy paintballs, some toy paintballs.”

Providing the material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba was the most serious offense with a potential maximum sentence of 180 months.

“Lashkar-e-Taiba is a terrorist organization that kills people, blows up buildings and creates political tension,” said government prosecutor David Laufman. “The defendant was part of that network.”

Unlike previous clients Marvin Miller represented in the “Virginia Jihad” group, Chandia, who taught at a Maryland Islamic school, received no hate mail throughout the proceedings and was supported by nearly 50 friends and family present for the sentencing.

“He has had more support in this courtroom than any other defendant,” Miller said.