Man Charged in Chicago Bomb Plot Has Prison Sentence Extended by 11 Years

Federal Judge increases punishment for attempted Chicago bombing, additional crimes

Cactus Bar and Grill, the establishment that Adel Daoud intended to blow up in 2012Photo byScreen Capture/Youtube Video [Creator]

CHICAGO — A man convicted in a 2012 plot to bomb a Chicago bar will spend an additional 11 years in prison, following a federal judge's decision to extend his sentence.

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly resentenced Adel Daoud to 27 years in prison, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. This resentencing comes after an earlier decision by U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, who had sentenced Daoud to 16 years in prison in 2019. However, a federal appellate court ruled in 2020 that the initial sentence was insufficient, leading to a new sentencing hearing.

Daoud, a resident of suburban Hilldale, was apprehended in an FBI sting operation in September 2012. He was arrested after attempting to detonate a car bomb outside the Cactus Bar & Grill by pressing a button on what he believed was a remote trigger. According to court filings, Daoud intended to kill at least 100 people. He was 18 years old at the time of the plot.

In court, Daoud entered an Alford plea, a legal maneuver that allows a defendant to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has enough evidence to secure a conviction at trial. In addition to the bombing plot, Daoud also faced charges of soliciting the murder of an FBI agent involved in the sting and attacking a fellow inmate with a shank made from a toothbrush. The attack occurred after the inmate allegedly drew a picture of the Prophet Muhammad.

At the resentencing on Friday, Daoud represented himself, though court records indicate that attorney Quinn Michaelis is officially representing him. Michaelis did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the resentencing.

Efforts to reach Daoud for comment through the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago, where he is currently held, were unsuccessful as phone calls went unanswered.