Minnesota man pleads guilty to threatening federal judge, officers

By Suzannah Gonzales

(Reuters) - A Minnesota man pleaded guilty on Tuesday and was sentenced to three years probation for making death threats against a federal judge and law enforcement officers, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota said.

Khaalid Abdulkadir is subject to electronic monitoring for two of the three years' probation and his Internet usage will be monitored, said Ben Petok, a spokesman for the office.

Abdulkadir had threatened on Twitter to kill a federal judge and agents after the arrest of a friend who was charged with conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State, court records said.

U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier told Abdulkadir to avoid any websites linked to terrorists or extremists, Petok said.

"The three years of probation he will begin serving today is a strong reminder that threatening federal officials with violence is not a legitimate means of voicing dissent, but will be prosecuted forcefully by my office," U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said in a statement.

Abdulkadir had been in federal custody since his December arrest, Petok said.

"I am just grateful that the government realized how weak its case was and finally offered a resolution that permitted Khaalid to immediately go home," said Christopher Madel, a lawyer for Abdulkadir.

"He's home now, and his entire family is elated," Madel said.

(Reporting by Suzannah Gonzales and Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Tom Brown and Leslie Adler)

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