When wanna-be Dallas bomber and illegal alien Hosan Smadi was sentenced earlier this week, he recited a groveling apology to the court, perhaps hoping for a shorter sentence.

Would-be Dallas bomber gets 24-year sentence, Star-Telegram, October 19, 2010

DALLAS – Minutes before he was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, Hosam ”Sam” Smadi apologized for trying to blow up a downtown Dallas skyscraper.

”Your honor, I’m so ashamed of what I did,” Smadi said, standing before U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn on Tuesday in a bright orange jumpsuit. ”I’m very sorry for my actions. I could have never lived with myself if I had hurt anybody.”

Speaking in broken English, Smadi, 20, told the judge that he now believes that Osama bin Laden is ”bad” and that he hates al Qaeda.

”I will never have anything to do with this again,” he said.

It sounded like a great performance, particularly considering the video that was released by authorities post-sentencing.

Dallas bomber’s message to ”beloved’ bin Laden, WFAA-TV Dallas, October 20, 2010

Hosam Smadi, who was convicted of attempting to blow up a Dallas skyscraper, said during his trial that Osama bin Laden is a ”bad man.”

But a video released on Wednesday – after his sentencing – tells a different story.

Smadi taped a message in Arabic to Osama bin Laden in which he praises the the world’s best-known terrorist and proclaims his loyalty. At one point, he glorifies the September 11 attacks.

So apparently the mental illness he claimed as a defense in the case was not quite as severe as represented. It turns out Smadi’s motivation for the attempted terrorist act was plain old Islamic jihad. What a surprise.