Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2021) |
Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy | |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Canadian |
| Conviction(s) | Conspiracy to commit terrorism transcending national boundaries |
| Imprisoned at | ADX Florence |
| Website | https://bringabdulhome.ca/ |
Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy is a Canadian citizen who was convicted of terrorism-related offenses in 2016. El Bahnasawy plotted to carry out an attack on Times Square in New York City and to also attack the subway system.[1]
In December 2018, El Bahnasawy was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison.
Early life[edit]
El Bahnasawy was born in Kuwait. Throughout El Bahnsawy's adolescent life, he struggled with issues related to his mental illness and subsequent substance abuse.[1]
Terror plot and arrest[edit]
 | This paragraph contains close paraphrasing of an external source, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/abdulrahman-el-bahnasawy-sentenced-40-years-prison-plotting-carry-out-terrorist-attacks-new. (December 2021) |
El Bahnasawy began communicating on message boards in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. He conspired with Talha Haroon, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Pakistan, and Russell Salic, a 38-year-old Philippines citizen and resident, to conduct bombings and shootings in heavily populated areas of New York City during the Islamic holy month of Ramadhan in 2016, all in the name of ISIS. El Bahnasawy purchased bomb-making materials for the attack and rented out a cabin that was driving distance from New York City to build the bombs for the attack. Haroon allegedly made plans to travel from Pakistan to New York City to join El Bahnasawy in carrying out the attacks. As El Bahnasawy and Haroon prepared to execute the attacks, Salic allegedly wired money from the Philippines to the United States to help fund the terrorist operation.[2]
The group was infiltrated by an undercover informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who acted as if they were willing to participate in the attack. On a family trip in May 2016, El Bahnasawy was arrested by federal agents in New Jersey; he was charged with conspiracy to commit terror acts transcending national borders and providing material support to terror groups. Haroon and Salic were arrested in Pakistan and the Philippines, respectively. In 2020, a Pakistani Supreme Court decided to halt the United States extradition request of Haroon. Salic, a Philippian doctor is also yet to be extradited to the United States.[3][4]
On December 19, 2018, El Bahnasawy was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison. The prosecution on the case had pushed for El Bahnasawy to be sentenced to life imprisonment. El Bahnasawy's mother yelled "This is a sick boy! This is crazy. You have no justice," before being ushered out of the courtroom.[5]
Incarceration and prison attack[edit]
After El Bahnasawy's conviction in late 2018, he spent 2019 and much of 2020 in the Special Housing Units of Federal Correctional Institution, Gilmer and United States Penitentiary, Big Sandy. In late 2020, El Bahnasawy was transferred from Big Sandy to United States Penitentiary, Allenwood.[citation needed] On December 7, 2020, at around 6:15 am, El Bahnasawy sneaked behind USP Allenwood corrections officer Dale Franquet Jr and stabbed him twice in the back and eye with a 14-inch shank. Franquet lost his eye in the attack. El Bahnasawy was quickly transferred to United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg.[6] In April 2021, El Bahnasawy was transferred to the United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Bell, Stewart; Hill, Brian (June 20, 2018). "He plotted to bomb Times Square for ISIS. Records show he's mentally ill. Is he a terrorist?". Global News.
- ^ "Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Plotting to Carry out Terrorist Attacks in New York City for ISIS in Summer of 2016". United States Department of Justice. December 19, 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Aamir, Latif (September 21, 2020). "Pakistan court halts terror suspect's extradition to US". Anadolu Agency.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Mogato, Manuel (October 11, 2017). "Philippines Doctor Linked to New York Attack Plot a 'Regular, Generous Guy'". JakartaGlobe.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Canadian convicted of terrorism in U.S. gets 40 years in prison". CBC News. December 19, 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Hunter, Brad (December 17, 2020). "Convicted Canadian terrorist behind bloody prison knife attack: Report". Toronto Sun.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)