WASHINGTON (Halbeeg News) – A Kenyan born al-Shabaab suspect has been charged in the United States with an attempt to hijack an aircraft to undertake a 9/11 style attack on behalf of the terror group in Somalia.
US federal prosecutors documents on Wednesday unsealed that Cholo Abdi Abdi had allegedly prepared by obtaining pilot training in the Philippines.
The suspect who is 30, was being charged with six counts of terrorism-related offenses arising from his activities as an operative of Al-Shabaab.
“This case, which involved a plot to use an aircraft to kill innocent victims, reminds us of the deadly threat that radical Islamic terrorists continue to pose to our nation,” Assistant Attorney General John Demers said.
Acting Manhattan U.S. attorney Audrey Strauss called the alleged scheme a “chilling callback to the horrific attacks.”
He was presented before Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger in Manhattan federal court.
The case is assigned to United States District Judge Analisa Torres.
Abdullah was arrested in July 2019 in the Philippines and was subsequently transferred on December 15, 2020 in connection with his deportation from the Philippines to the custody of US law enforcement for prosecution on the charges in the indictment.
Discussion about this post