Al-Qaida operative found guilty of plotting to bomb subway

The Associated Press

A Brooklyn jury returned a guilty verdict Tuesday for Adis Medunjanin, who prosecutors say was inspired by al-Qaida operatives to bomb the New York City subways.

An al-Qaida operative was found guilty Tuesday of plotting to bomb the New York City subway system three years ago. He faces a sentence of life in prison.  

A federal court jury in Brooklyn, N.Y., deliberated for a little longer than a day before returning a guilty verdict for Adis Medunjanin, a 27-year-old U.S. citizen born in Bosnia. Two others, including the chief plotter, Najibullah Zazi, pleaded guilty two years ago and testified as prosecution witnesses at Medunjanin's trial.

Zazi, a Denver airport shuttle bus driver, drove to New York in 2009 with bomb components. He returned to Colorado several days later when the men realized that New York City police and FBI agents were investigating them. Zazi was arrested shortly afterward.


Zazi admitted to recruiting Medunjanin and Zarein Ahmedzay for a suicide bombing mission.

They were inspired, Zazi said, by the online propaganda of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born Muslim cleric who became al-Qaida's chief propagandist. He was killed in a U.S. drone strike last year.

New York subway bomb plotter's father sentenced to 4.5 years

The three traveled to Pakistan in 2008, prosecutors said, hoping to join the Taliban. Instead, they met al-Qaida recruiters who gave them rudimentary training and told them they should return to the U.S. and carry out a suicide mission. They agreed, prosecutors said.

Ahmedzay, a former yellow cab driver, told a Brooklyn jury that al-Qaida operatives encouraged them to "do as much damage as possible, but to be successful the attack need not be spectacular," the New York Daily News reported.  

Trial under way for suspect in subway bomb plot

Ahmedzay, a former yellow cab driver, told a Brooklyn jury that al-Qaida operatives encouraged them to "do as much damage as possible, but to be successful the attack need not be spectacular," the New York Daily News reported.  

The Associated Press

During Adis Medunjanin's trial, Zarein Ahmedzay, above, testified that Medunjanin discussed bombing New York City movie theaters, Grand Central Terminal, Times Square and the New York Stock Exchange before settling on the city's subways.

He testified that the three drove around Manhattan casing potential targets for a terrorist attack. They checked out Grand Central Terminal, Times Square and the New York Stock Exchange. Ultimately, they settled on the subway.

Pete Williams is NBC News’ justice correspondent. Jonathan Dienst is WNBC’s senior investigative reporter. Msnbc.com's Isolde Raftery contributed to this report.

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Discuss this post

Shouldn't plot to bomb subways.. wouldn't be prudent

    Reply#1 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:31 PM EDT

    Islam is now a world wide radical cult, and yet we are taking them into our country at the rate of 100 thousand per year, ask the good people in Minnesota, and Detroit how it is working out for them !

    • 3 votes
    #1.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 9:53 PM EDT

    Since the birth of Islamic cult, contributions of its followers is negative.

    These days they are killing each other in their Muslim nations and sneaking into our nations.

    Most of the Islamic terrorist plots have either Paki or Saudi connections.

    Just kick out all of them from the US, Britain, European and other non-Muslim nations.

    We don't need the liabilities.

    • 1 vote
    #1.2 - Wed May 2, 2012 4:17 AM EDT
    Reply

    You can see why they strip search little old ladies at airports, these guys don't look at all like terrorists.

    • 3 votes
    Reply#2 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:35 PM EDT

    Because of the liabilities on earth, we also have to go through tortures.

      #2.1 - Wed May 2, 2012 4:19 AM EDT
      Reply

      Give us your tired, your poor...and a few of them will show their gratitude by blowing you to pieces. Sigh.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#3 - Tue May 1, 2012 4:47 PM EDT

      Hopefully he will spend the rest of his life being pounded by Buba in prison .

      • 4 votes
      Reply#4 - Tue May 1, 2012 5:30 PM EDT

      unfortunately, now he will spend the rest of his days radicalizing the rest of the prison population.

      • 2 votes
      #4.1 - Wed May 2, 2012 9:50 AM EDT
      Reply

      Strap an explosive vest on them....chain them to a tree in the middle of nowhere....and let them "complete their mission"........

      • 7 votes
      Reply#5 - Tue May 1, 2012 6:42 PM EDT

      It is a shame that the death penalty is not available for all 3 of them. Since they will live, they should spend the rest of their lives in prison. Send them to someplace fun - like maine (so that they can freeze their rear ends off in winter). Or the federal prison outside Phoenix - where they can roast.

      And we committed troops in the 1990's to save their pathetic country. This goes to show that no good deed for any muslim country goes unpunished. If we had not intervened - the Serbs would have exterminated all the Bosnian muslims. And this piece of dog feces repays our sacrifice of blood and money by trying to kill Americans?

      • 2 votes
      Reply#6 - Tue May 1, 2012 8:27 PM EDT

      This is why New York police are watching the pile of crap at the local in the local collages and universities and if anyone is willing to put an end to the influx of these people intering into this country I, will swear a promise to vote for that person, and any American that beleaves this is important for the safety of the're children and all concerned should do the same. reguardless of what rece thay are a part of. If the Presadent refuses to make public his intentions reguarding the stoppage of this influx of these problematic sympthizers and perpatrators of terror than reemove him from office with your vote ASAP, and replace him with someone who will. This is your duty to confirm your destany and that of America. The execution of one terrorist leader is not the solution to the entire equation, this you must concider before you vote. make it count. God BlessAmerica.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#7 - Tue May 1, 2012 11:31 PM EDT

      How come almost all of this subhuman scum is muslim. In the koran, it says to kill infidels and fight the enemies of islam in order to establish a global caliphate. Mohammed, the role model of muslims was already a Jew-hating and murdering, slave trading, torturing subhuman zav.age. Islam and its fake prophet are disgusting and a clear and present danger to the West. All muslims need to be deported asap.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#8 - Wed May 2, 2012 12:15 AM EDT

      There seriously needs to be a national moratorium for 25 to 30 years on any further immigration.

      300 million Muslims...America does not need...nor the mass exodus of Mexicans from Mexico.

      We NEED a leader that works for America above all else!!!

      • 1 vote
      Reply#9 - Wed May 2, 2012 1:06 AM EDT

      HawkEyes- I agree with your post,but we need likely candidates first. Obama is going to Afghanistan instead of being concerned with issues on American soil. He should be escorting thousands back to the desert everyday. People need to realize there are many criminals just like this among us and like 911,sometimes they will complete their mission. America is being taken over and were just pawns.

        #9.1 - Wed May 2, 2012 1:56 AM EDT
        Reply

        Pakis are training Islamic radicals and terrorists on a large scale and exporting them all over the world. They get Saudi, Kuwaiti, UAE and other rich Sunni sharks funding.

        Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and other barbaric and beastly Sunni nations are indulging in economic terrorism by choking oil supplies and manipulating high oil prices.

        The beastly and bigoted rulers of these nations are exporting their extremist versions of Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over the world.

        Wipe out Pakis and Saudis from the world map for world peace.

        • 1 vote
        Reply#10 - Wed May 2, 2012 4:25 AM EDT

        So you aspire to be a suicide bomber? Solution give them a bomb, chain them inside a box, give them a button to hold, and when everyone is away at a safe distance, Activate. Wait till they fall asleep, take box to sea and feed the fish. Saves cost of prison and provides calcium for our reefs! Oh, tell them this too will be rewarded by their god in next world, may want to video for other Islam extremists who want to get to their 20 virgins quicker. Isn't this how we combat any other disease or bacteria that is harmful to humans? Please note I'm not referring to all Islam believers. Just the ones who hate and kill everyone that doesn't believe what they believe. Thank you, I approve of this message.

        • 2 votes
        Reply#11 - Wed May 2, 2012 12:05 PM EDT

        Why see who deserves to come here or not.World and US population has DOUBLED IN 60 YEARS!Aside from doctors etc,we need no further immigration.They don't care about our country,they get benefits until they try to ruin our country

          #11.1 - Sun May 6, 2012 9:22 PM EDT
          Reply

          Daily we discover less and less of a need to mint new Americans.when will this stop.I love my country,many do not.I ,and many tens of millions of real Americans no longer want people to come to this country,recieve our benefits,and spit in Lady Libertys face.

            Reply#12 - Sun May 6, 2012 9:19 PM EDT
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