The government late Monday morning closed its case against Robert Doggart after calling a member of the small Muslim community in the Catskill Mountains that prosecutors say he targeted for destruction.
The defense put on only two witnesses - the defendant's oldest daughter and her husband - before the two sides began closing arguments.
The jury will begin deliberations on Tuesday morning in the courtroom of Judge Curtis Collier at the Federal Building.
In closing arguments, attorney Jonathan Turner said Doggart truly believed there was a terrorist cell at Islamberg, but he said he never had a definite plan, never carried out any recon or attack and "no one was injured." He said Doggart had heard reports about Islamberg on Fox News and "that was what was in his mind."
The attorney said the seven weapons found at Doggart's house was not unusual "for the Southeast."
He said it was true that Muslims had carried out attacks against Americans on American soil - mostly notably at the World Trade Center.
He called Doggart "an American patriot who was concerned about his country."
Prosecutor Perry Piper said Doggart "wanted to take their property and their lives."
He said Doggart had a huge amount of ammunition at his home and "told everybody who would listen" about the Islamberg venture.
He said the FBI was correct in enlisting a confidential source to infiltrate Doggart's group after learning about his plan and talk that he was prepared to use grenades.
The prosecutor said, "The danger is the seed that he planted" among the "gunners" he sought to enlist.
A large number of Islamberg residents are attending the trial.
Noori Brooks, who heads a small book printing and selling firm at Islamberg, said people come from across the U.S. to visit the book store in the community mosque as well as to attend a summer camp for children.
He said the book store and camp use buildings that Doggart told "gunners" he tried to recruit should be burned.
Mr. Brooks said he attended the summer camp when he was a youth and he said he married a resident of the 68-acre compound. He said she wanted to return there so they moved to the settlement near Hancock, N.Y.
He said the camp has a religious component and the books are mainly religious.
Under cross-examination from attorney Turner, the witness said he had been to Pakistan four times and had met the founder of Islamberg, Sheikh Gilani. He said Sheikh Gilani had encouraged Muslims to settle in rural areas and get away from the problems of big cities and ghettos.
He said he had also been to Trinidad and visited Berry Adams, who attorney Turner said had been deported from Canada for terrorism.
Mr. Brooks said he had one tie with Barry Adams since he and his wife were in a car wreck and a son of Barry Adams was killed in the same accident.
He said he knows Hussein Adams, another son of Barry Adams, who was identified as the mayor of Islamberg and head of the Muslims of America organization. He said Hussein Adams is in Chattanooga for the trial.
Christine Doggart Atkins said her father is a good man who is non-violent. She said she named her oldest son for him "because I love my dad and I wanted to honor him."
She said the family often moved because of her father's job testing welds on pipes. The family moved to Ooltewah when she was 13.
The witness said her father worked for TVA and was active in the American Society of Non-Destructive Testers, becoming president of the group that has over 16,000 members.
She said he twice won the Presidential Lifetime Call to Service Award given to those with over 4,000 hours of volunteer service. She said he had donated over 22 gallons of blood.
She and her husband told of Doggart in 1993 running over to a house that had been struck by lightning and caught fire. They said Doggart helped make sure everyone was out of the house and helped carry out some of their prized belongings.
The government on Monday also played the final tape made of Doggart at a luncheon meeting at the City Cafe in downtown Chattanooga on April 9, 2015 - the day before he was arrested by the FBI.
Doggart, who lives in Sequatchie County just across the county line, said militia groups needed to rise up because of Muslim threats. He said, "It is our patriotic duty to do so." He said he has 10 grandchildren. Three of his four daughters were on the second row of the courtroom. It was stated that he has been divorced from his wife for about 10 years.
At one point, he said, "I'm just worried that we can't be in the wrong" (on the belief that a terrorist cell was at Islamberg).
Another concern was that "the toys they have to come to the game with." He said under one scenario "we kill everyone and then we've got to run like hell."
Doggart said, "I don't want to kill children." He added, "But there's always collateral damage."
At the same time, he said he expected there would be uprisings from militia groups in South Carolina, Texas and Michigan.
Prosecutor Piper said the confidential source working with the FBI and posing as a gunner for Doggart that day was outfitted with a small camera in his hat. The jury saw a short video in which Doggart was seen outside the City Cafe.
Also at the luncheon meeting with Doggart and the confidential source were a potential gunner from Peoria, Ill., and local realtor Sally McNulty.
The lead FBI agent on the case said the Illinois man was interested in settling in Chattanooga because it felt the end times were near and that this was "Middle America" and safer. He said he was acquainted with Ms. McNulty.
The agent said it had not been planned for Ms. McNulty to be at the luncheon because she was not under investigation as Doggart and the Illinois man were, but she came along with the Illinois man. Ms. McNulty, during the luncheon, expressed concern about a mosque in Ooltewah, it was stated.
Doggart was the only one charged with making terroristic threats.
William Tint of South Carolina, who agents said also conspired with Doggart, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.