Three charged with plotting New York attacks for Islamic State - U.S. prosecutors

By Brendan Pierson

 

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three men have been arrested since May of last year on charges of plotting attacks in New York City for Islamic State in the summer of 2016, U.S. prosecutors said on Friday.

 

The planned attacks, which were thwarted by law enforcement, included detonating explosives in Manhattan's Times Square and in the city's subway, according to the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Joon Kim in Manhattan.

 

One of the men, 19-year-old Canadian citizen Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, has been in U.S. custody since May 2016, when he was arrested in New Jersey. He pleaded guilty to terrorism charges in October 2016, the prosecutors said.

 

Talha Haroon, a 19-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested in Pakistan, where he lives, around September 2016, and Russell Salic, a 37-year-old citizen of the Philippines, was arrested in that country in April of this year, according to Kim's office.

 

Prosecutors said they expected Haroon and Salic to be extradited to the United States to face the charges, which include conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism and to support a terrorist organisation. If convicted of the most serious charges, they face life in prison.

 

Prosecutors said El Bahnasawy bought bomb-making materials and helped secure a cabin near New York City from which to stage attacks. They said Haroon planned to travel from Pakistan to help El Bahnasawy carry out attacks, and that Salic helped fund the plot.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-07

kudos to law enforcement. They do a lot behind the scenes, much of it commendable.

Least US has the death penalty

58 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Least US has the death penalty

In some states, yes, but even in those states they have big problems implementing death penalties.  Plus, it costs about $3 million/year to keep an inmate on death row (often for many years).  For an inmate in the regular prison population, it costs about $65,000/year.   One thing the US can be relied upon:  Spending obscene amounts of money for things which could cost a lot less. 

 

Why coddle convicted felons?  A guy who doesn't break any laws, but is poor, may be compelled to live under a bridge and eat scraps out of garbage cans.   In contrast, the Unabomber, who killed several people and severely injured dozens, is kept in a warm cell, 3 nice meals a day, TV, computer, library, hot shower, laundry service, free dental/health.   What's wrong with this picture?

 

The US should send convicted felons to countries like Bangladesh or Zambia.  Pay the governments there $4,000/year to house them.  That's about twice what their average citizen earns per year.   Out of sight, out of mind.

 

The OP says they face life in prison.  

 

You don't know the staggering numbers of potential attacks prevented by security services all over the world.

 

This comes at a cost at times, our freedom of movement and speech among other "rights" are interfered with and suspended at times. A small price to pay in the world we live in today.

 

 

Life in prison in the US with a chance of death in prison may be the best we can hope for, these low life are getting what they and others deserve.

Geezer