The U.S. Justice Department
released the below information:
Munther Omar Saleh, 22, of
Queens, New York, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison, to be followed by
a term of 10 years’ supervised release, for conspiring and attempting to
provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated
foreign terrorist organization, and for assaulting and conspiring to assault
federal officers. Saleh pleaded guilty
on Feb. 10, 2017, to all counts in the indictment.
Acting Assistant Attorney
General for National Security Edward C. O’Callaghan, U.S. Attorney Richard P.
Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge
William F. Sweeney, Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner James
P. O’Neill of the NYPD made the announcement.
The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Margo K. Brodie.
“Inspired by ISIS’s violent
and hateful ideology, the defendant conspired with others to use a
pressure-cooker bomb in a terrorist attack in New York and attempted to attack
members of law enforcement who were conducting surveillance of him,” said
Acting Assistant Attorney General O’Callaghan.
“Today’s sentence is but one example of our resolve to bring to justice
homegrown violent extremists who plot and attempt attacks on innocent people,
including law enforcement agents, in the U.S. in the name of foreign terrorist
organizations.”
“Munther Omar Saleh and his
coconspirators conducted attacks on members of law enforcement who worked
tirelessly to keep our city safe,” stated U.S. Attorney Donoghue. “Saleh’s sentence will not only incapacitate
the defendant for a significant period of time, but should also serve as a
deterrent to those who contemplate waging violent jihad in New York City at the
direction of a foreign terrorist organization.
This Office, and our partners on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, will
never relent in our efforts to hold terrorists accountable for their cowardly
acts, including attacks on those who protect us.”
“Saleh attempted to turn our
city into a staging ground for violent attacks, including those aimed at both
local and federal law enforcement officials. Directed by a known terrorist
organization responsible for civilian massacres and other heinous crimes worldwide,
he supported and attempted to facilitate the martyrdom of those with similar
views,” said Assistant Director in Charge Sweeney. “Today’s sentencing promises
he’ll remain behind bars for a significant period of time, upholding our faith
in a justice system that has little compassion for those who wish to harm our
way of life.”
As alleged in the indictment
and in other court filings, Saleh and codefendant Fareed Mumuni conspired to
support ISIS by helping their coconspirators attempt to travel to ISIS-controlled
territory in order to join ISIS, and by plotting to use a pressure-cooker bomb
to conduct a terrorist attack in the New York metropolitan area on behalf of
ISIS.
On June 13, 2015, Saleh and
another coconspirator were arrested in Queens after they attempted to attack
members of law enforcement by charging at a federal officer who was performing
physical surveillance of Saleh. Saleh
and the coconspirator were armed with knives.
Following his arrest, Saleh admitted to agents that he had discussed
with Mumuni physically attacking the law-enforcement officers who were
surveilling Mumuni. On June 17, 2015,
during the execution of a search warrant at his residence in Staten Island,
Mumuni was arrested after he repeatedly stabbed an FBI agent in the torso with
a large kitchen knife. The knife did not
penetrate the agent’s protective body armor, and he sustained minor injuries.
Mr. O’Callaghan and Mr.
Donoghue praised the agents, analysts and prosecutors for their dedication and
commitment to this investigation and prosecution.
The government’s case is
being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Douglas M.
Pravda, and Ian C. Richardson, with assistance provided by Trial Attorneys
Justin Sher and Bob Sander of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism
Section.
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