Overview
- Xuanyu Harry Pang, a 38-year-old former Navy sailor, pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiring to attack Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois.
- The plot was allegedly carried out on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as retaliation for the U.S. killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
- Pang engaged in encrypted communications with undercover FBI operatives posing as Iranian affiliates, providing surveillance photos, military uniforms, and a phone intended for use as a detonator.
- He also scouted additional Chicago-area targets, including popular tourist sites like Millennium Park’s Cloud Gate sculpture and Michigan Avenue, discussing plans for maximum damage.
- Pang faces up to 20 years in prison and is currently detained without bond, with sentencing scheduled for May 27, 2025.