In a significant legal development, a former US Navy sailor has admitted his role in a plot to attack Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. This comes after a federal charge accused him of planning the attack in 2022, as revealed in a plea agreement made public on Thursday.
Xuanyu Harry Pang, aged 38, confessed to creating a plan with Iranian collaborators to avenge the death of Qasem Soleimani, a general from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who was killed by a US airstrike in 2020. The organization had been labeled a foreign terrorist group by the US in 2019.
Pang, who had enlisted in the Navy and started his training at the Great Lakes facility in February 2022, appeared in a Chicago federal court where he admitted to conspiracy and attempted destruction of national defense material and facilities. This included the naval base he was plotting against, as per the Department of Justice.
Court documents indicate that Pang communicated in 2021 with someone in Colombia about assisting him with the plan. This interaction led to undercover FBI operatives posing as Iranian affiliates contacting Pang. During these exchanges, Pang identified potential targets in the Chicago area and discussed financial remuneration of $1 million for their involvement in this scheme.
The plot took shape with Pang displaying photos and videos from inside the naval station during meetings in Lake Bluff, Illinois, to undercover agents. He inquired if the goal was to cause ‘max damage,’ and agreed to procure military uniforms and a cell phone to serve as test detonator equipment, receiving $5,000 from the undercover operative for these preparations.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with support from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, spearheaded the investigation following these findings. Pang is currently held without bail and awaits sentencing, which could lead to a maximum imprisonment of 20 years.
Xuanyu Harry Pang’s guilty plea highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to thwart potential threats against national security. This case serves as a reminder of the vigilance required to protect critical defense facilities.
