Kenyan man convicted of plotting 9/11-style attack on U.S.

A Kenyan man was convicted Monday of plotting a 9/11-style onslaught connected a U.S. building connected behalf of nan violent statement al-Shabab.

A national assemblage successful Manhattan recovered Cholo Abdi Abdullah blameworthy connected each six counts he faced for colluding to hijack an craft and slam it into a building, according to tribunal records.

He's owed to beryllium sentenced adjacent March and faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years successful prison.

Cholo Abdi Abdullah, 30, seen successful an undated photo. Handout / Criminal Investigation and Detection Group

Abdullah represented himself during nan trial, which opened past week. He declined to springiness an opening connection and did not actively participate successful questioning witnesses.

In tribunal papers revenge up of nan trial, prosecutors said Abdullah intended to "merely beryllium passively during nan trial, not reason nan prosecution and immoderate nan outcome, he would judge nan result because he does not judge that this is simply a morganatic system."

Lawyers appointed to assistance Abdullah successful his self-defense didn't respond to an email seeking remark Monday.

Federal prosecutors, who rested their lawsuit Thursday, said Abdullah plotted nan onslaught for 4 years, undergoing extended training successful explosives and really to run successful concealed and debar detection.

He past moved to nan Philippines successful 2017 and began training arsenic a commercialized pilot.

Abdullah was almost vanished pinch his two-year aviator training erstwhile he was arrested successful 2019 connected section charges.

He was transferred nan pursuing twelvemonth to U.S. rule enforcement authorities, who charged him pinch terrorism-related crimes.

Prosecutors said Abdullah besides researched really to breach a cockpit doorway and accusation "about nan tallest building successful a awesome U.S. city" earlier he was caught.

The State Department successful 2008 designated al-Shabab, which intends "the youth" successful Arabic, arsenic a overseas violent organization. The militant group is an al Qaeda connection that has fought to found an Islamic authorities successful Somalia based connected Shariah law.

In:
• 9/11