Reprieve for Kenyan Convicted of Bomb Plot as US Court Delays Sentencing
A US court has unexpectedly halted the sentencing of a 34-year-old Kenyan man, previously found guilty of planning a terror attack reminiscent of 9/11.
The man’s conviction last November encompassed six serious charges, including conspiracy to support a foreign terrorist organization and plotting the murder of US citizens.
The charges also included conspiring to commit aircraft piracy, destroy aircraft, and carry out transnational acts of terrorism. During the scheduled sentencing, Judge Analisa Torres paused proceedings following the defendant’s request for new legal representation.
The defendant rejected the court-appointed standby counsel, expressing a desire for a “fresh start” with different lawyers. “I was thinking of having new lawyers who will represent me. I don’t want these two lawyers to represent me. I want to start fresh,” he stated.
Following a private conference, Judge Torres granted the request, adjourning the case until April 7, 2025. Prosecutors, however, urged the judge to impose a life sentence, arguing that a 20-year term was insufficient.
“The defendant’s terrorism crimes, combined with his specialised, al-Shabaab-financed pilot skills, which he will have for the rest of his life, underscore that he poses a real and ongoing threat to innocent lives,” a prosecutor argued. “He remains a skilful, well-educated, and highly trained terrorist who is readily capable of hijacking a commercial aircraft to commit a terrorist act.”
The Kenyan man, suspected of affiliation with the al-Shabaab militia, was apprehended in 2019.
He allegedly plotted to hijack a commercial aircraft and crash it into a US building, acting on behalf of the terror group responsible for numerous deadly attacks. The US Department of Justice highlighted the severity of his conspiracy.
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Reprieve for Kenyan Convicted of Bomb Plot as US Court Delays Sentencing
