A South Florida man has pleaded not guilty to a charge that he tried to detonate a bomb at a local synagogue and Jewish school during Passover, The Associated Press reports.
A lawyer for 40-year-old James Medina entered the plea Monday at a brief federal court hearing in Miami.
Medina faces life in prison if convicted of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.
Medina was arrested and charged with trying to blow up the Aventura synagogue with a fake bomb following an FBI sting operation.
The FBI says Medina plotted with an undercover informant to acquire a bomb to attack the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center last month. Medina was arrested after the informant provided him with a real-looking dummy bomb that could not explode.
FBI recordings show Medina allegedly supported the Islamic State terrorist group and claimed an obligation to attack Jews in the U.S.
Medina's lawyer says he suffers from long-term mental illness.
His not guilty plea comes one week after he was denied bail when a judge ruled that he is a flight risk and a danger to the community.