A Moroccan man pleaded guilty on Friday to attempting to bomb the U.S. Capitol building in Washington in February, 2012, and could face up to 30 years in prison.

Amine El Khalifi, 29, an illegal immigrant who lives in Alexandria, Virginia, struck an agreement with prosecutors under which he pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court in Virginia.

He was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against property owned and used by the United States, intending to detonate a bomb and to shoot people.

He was arrested near the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 17 wearing a vest he believed was full of explosives supplied by al-Qaeda. He was charged with the attempted suicide bombing of Congress, the U.S. Department of Justice said.