- Columbus Shopping Mall Bombing Plot
The Columbus Shopping Mall Bombing Plot was a plan to blow up an unnamed
shopping mall in the city of Columbus in the American state ofOhio . The plot was disclosed by federal authorities onJune 14 ,2004 when an indictment against Nuradin Abdi was unsealed by the localUnited States district court . Abdi was part of a clandestine cell ofal-Qaida which sought to bring "death and destruction" to Columbus". [cite news
last =Mayhood
first =Kevin
coauthors =Jonathan Riskind and Robert Ruth
title =MALL WAS TARGET, U.S. SAYS: PART 2 OF 2
pages =News 01A
language =English
publisher =The Columbus Dispatch
date =2004-06-15 ]Background
Nuradin Abdi entered the United States Illegally in 1999 from
Somalia . [cite news
last =Mayhood
first =Kevin
coauthors =Jodi Andes and John Futty
title =Muslim convert plotted with foreigners in town, unsealed indictment says
language =English
publisher =The Columbus Dispatch
date =2007-04-13
url =http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/04/13/newterror.html?print=yes
accessdate =2007-06-30] He lived in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood on the north side of the city. According to one report, Abdi flew toEthiopia to train in a military-style training camp in January 2000. There he allegedly was trained in the use of guns, guerrilla warfare, and bombs. [Citation
author-link =http://usinfo.state.gov/
title =Somali Native Charged in a Bomb Plot, Ashcroft Says
date =2004-06-14
year =2004
url =http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=June&x=20040614165038dmslahrellek0.7101862&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
accessdate =2007-06-30] He returned two months later. Abdi met withChristopher Paul andIyman Faris at a coffee shop in Upper Arlington onAugust 6 ,2002 . [cite news
last =Welsh-Huggins
first =Andrew
title =Man's trial will note his friends, 2 terror suspects
language =English
publisher =The Columbus Dispatch
date =2007-06-09
url =http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/09/z-apoh_shoppingmallplot2_060.ART_ART_06-09-07_B2_6K6VNUL.html
accessdate =2007-06-30 ] According to Paul (who is awaiting trial for a separate plot to bomb European tourist resorts), Abdi first suggested shooting up a mall. Paul responded saying "that's a stupid idea". Abdi subsequently suggested bombing the mall, but few other details have been released.Abdi was arrested on
November 28 ,2003 and charged with Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, Conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qaeda, and two counts of fraud and misuse of documents. His attorneys became concerned with his mental state, and he was sent to a federal medical center inMinnesota in June 2004 to undergo tests. [cite news
title =EVALUATION UNDER WAY FOR SUSPECT IN MALL PLOT
pages =News 04B
language =English
publisher =The Columbus Dispatch
date =2004-06-26] He was returned to Columbus in August, and continues to be held in the Franklin County Jail. On31 July ,2007 , Abdi plead guilty to one count of conspiring to support terrorists. [cite news
last =Andes
first =Jodi
title =Somali man pleads guilty to plot
language =English
publisher =The Columbus Dispatch
date =2007-08-01
url =http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/01/abdiplea.ART_ART_08-01-07_A1_877G1ES.html
accessdate =2007-08-01 ] Because of the plea, the other charges against him were dropped. He will serve 10 years in jail, and will be deported to Somalia after that.New details released at the time of the plea agreement show that there were likely more than the aforementioned three people who were involved in the plot. Documents that were filed along with Abdi's agreement note a fourth person whom the trio met with both in Columbus and in Pittsburgh.
References
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