The group's objective was to kill "as many American soldiers as possible," according to prosecutors.

"I think they were in the last stage of planning," then-U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said at the time of their arrest. "They had training, they had maps, and I think they were very close to moving on this."

He added: "This is what law enforcement is supposed to do in the post-9/11 era — stay one step ahead of those who are attempting to cause harm to innocent American citizens."

But during the trial, prosecutors said the men were probably months away from an attack and did not necessarily have a specific plan.

The investigation began after a clerk at a Circuit City store told the FBI that some customers had asked him to transfer onto DVD some video footage of them firing assault weapons and screaming about jihad.

The FBI asked two informants — both foreign-born men who entered the U.S. illegally and had criminal records — to befriend the suspects. Both informants were paid and were offered help obtaining legal resident status.

During the trial, federal prosecutor William Fitzpatrick defended the government's handling of the case. "The FBI investigates crime on the front end. They don't want to have to do it on the back end," he told the jury.

None of the five defendants testified.