Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari sentenced to life in prison

Jurors convicted the former Texas Tech University student in June of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction in 2011.

It only took about thirty minutes for the judge to deliver the life sentence. However, Walter was clearly torn in his decision-making process saying, "I cannot remember a case in 27 years that has given me this much difficulty." At one point judge Walter even said he "didn't know what to do".

The judge did deny the prosecution's request to call a bomb expert to the stand and to show a video on explosives.

The defense, led by Dan Codgell, stayed to their argument that no weapon of mass destruction was actually ever created. They also made comparisons to other cases in which attacks had been executed and the defendants were issues a lighter sentence. The defense asked the judge to be fair in his sentencing.

The judge said that he wrestled with the fact that Aldawsari had no previous history of this type of behavior. He directly asked Aldawsari what happened to make him change.

Aldawsari addressed the judge quietly, saying that he was happy when he was a student at Vanderbilt and that life changed when he came to Texas Tech. "I did not have a friend. I was alone and was isolated for a long time," Aldawsari said.

He apologized many times, but told the judge "at the end, none of the actions have caused harm to the United States."

After listening to Mr. Aldawsari, Judge Walter said he considered all the factors and he understood the progression. But, he said, "bottom line, you would have done it."

Aldawsari stood emotionless while he was sentenced to life in prison.