A Pakistani immigrant has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for helping an al-Qaida operative gain entrance to the United States.

Uzair Paracha had been convicted last November of posing as former U.S. resident Majid Khan, in order to obtain documents so the al-Qaida operative could slip back into the United States.

Prosecutors said Khan plotted to bomb underground gasoline storage tanks in the eastern U.S. state of Maryland in 2003.  Khan never arrived in the country and the plot was never carried out.

Paracha's lawyers told the court that he had been duped into participating in the plot, and that his statements to investigators had occurred under pressure.

The judge in the case said Paracha was fully aware that he was dealing with al-Qaida when he agreed to help Khan.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.