US woman 'Jihad Jane' jailed for plot to kill Swedish Mohammed cartoonist

A US woman involved in a plot to kill a Swedish artist who had offended Muslims has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after telling a judge she was once obsessed with jihad.

Fifty-year-old Colleen LaRose had called herself "Jihad Jane" online and agreed in 2009 to kill artist Lars Vilks over his series of drawings depicting the prophet Mohammed as a dog. Vilks was never attacked.

LaRose faced a potential life term, but the judge accepted a government request to reduce the sentence because of her extensive cooperation with investigators. Prosecutors still asked for decades in prison, saying she remains dangerous.

Both sides agree that LaRose was isolated and endured harsh abuse throughout her life.

Defence lawyers called her the perfect target after a childhood marked by rape, incest, hunger and alcoholism at home. Her marriages were marked by abuse, and she came to use crystal meth and other drugs, public defender Mark Wilson said.

LaRose told the judge she became obsessed with jihad, saying she was "in a trance" and thought about it from morning to night. "I don't want to be into jihad no more," she said.