MINNEAPOLIS — A federal judge has denied a motion by two Minnesota men convicted of plotting to go to Syria to join the Islamic State group who wanted to be evaluated by a German de-radicalization expert.

Abdirahman Daud and Guled Omar face possible life sentences after being found guilty by a jury last month. The expert’s de-radicalization program was offered to six other defendants who earlier pleaded guilty to conspiring to support a foreign terrorist organization.

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis, who pioneered use of the program, denied Daud’s and Omar’s motions on Tuesday.