( CNN ) -- A Canadian citizen was sentenced Thursday in Chicago to 14 years in prison for aiding a plot to attack a Danish newspaper that published cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed . Tahawwur Rana , 52 , was convicted in June 2011 of conspiracy to provide material support in the plot against the Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten newspaper and of providing material support to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e Tayyiba-terror organization . Rana , a native of Pakistan , was found not guilty of providing support for the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which more than 160 people were killed , including six Americans . David Coleman Headley , an alleged co-conspirator of Rana 's , performed surveillance prior to those Mumbai attacks . Headley pleaded guilty in March 2010 to a dozen terror charges , including aiding and abetting the murders of the Americans in the Mumbai assault . He agreed to cooperate with the government and avoid a possible death penalty . Headley is due to be sentenced next Thursday and is facing up to life in prison . Headley testified against Rana , whom he had known since the two attended the same high school in Pakistan . Rana had a Chicago-based immigration business and Headley said he pretended to be working for that business during overseas travels as a cover for his surveillance activities . Headley took part in the plot against the Danish paper , as well as the Mumbai operation . At Rana 's trial , the defense argued that he had no idea what Headley was up to , and that Headley was lying to avoid the death penalty . The plot to attack the Danish newspaper was never carried out , but the government said the plan was to behead employees and toss their heads into the street . `` This serious prison sentence should go a long way towards convincing would-be terrorists that they ca n't hide behind the scenes , lend support to the violent aims of terrorist organizations , and escape detection and punishment , '' said Gary Shapiro , Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois .
Businessman sentenced to 14 years . He was convicted of supporting Taliban , terrorist group . The Pakistan native was convicted last year .