Mass. man given 17 1/2 years on terror counts

"They knew he was not a danger by what he would do. He was only a threat because of what he would say," Carney said.

The defense has said Mehanna never did receive terrorist training and described his trip to Yemen at the age of 21 as "entirely unsophisticated."

During the trial, Mehanna's attorneys portrayed him as an aspiring scholar of Islam who traveled to Yemen to look for religious schools. They said his translation and distribution of controversial publications was free speech protected by the First Amendment.

Mehanna's father, Ahmed, said he is angry upset.

"Translating a book? Is that a crime?" he asked.

Defense attorney Janice Bassil told O'Toole during the sentencing hearing that a juror wanted to address the court, but the judge refused to let the juror speak. Carney said the juror is troubled by the verdict and does not think Mehanna should serve any more time in prison.

Prosecutors focused on hundreds of online chats on Mehanna's computer in which they said he and his friends talked about their desire to participate in jihad, or holy war. Several of those friends were called by prosecutors to testify against Mehanna, including one man who said he, Mehanna and a third friend tried to get terrorism training in Yemen so they could fight American soldiers in Iraq.