Kansas man charged with attempting suicide attack at U.S. army base to support IS

A 20-year-old U.S. man was charged on Friday with planning a suicide bomb attack at a U.S. army base near Manhattan, Kansas, in an alleged plot to support the extremist group the Islamic State (IS), the U.S. Justice Department said.

John T. Booker Jr. of Topeka faces three charges, including one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and one count of attempting to provide material support to the IS, said a statement by the Justice Department.

According to the statement, Booker was arrested Friday morning near Manhattan, as he completed his final preparations to detonate a vehicle bomb targeting U.S. military personnel at the Army base Fort Riley.

The statement said Booker allegedly told another that he chose Fort Riley as a target, "because the post is famous and there are a lot of soldiers stationed there."

It is alleged that Booker repeatedly stated that he desired to engage in violent jihad on behalf of IS and had taken a series of actions to advance his plot over a period of months, the statement said.

"As alleged in the complaint, John Booker attempted to attack U. S. military personnel on U.S. soil purportedly in the name of ISIL, " said Assistant Attorney General Carlin, referring to the group's another widely used acronym.

If convicted, Booker faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Endite