Jose Pimentel
Encyclopedia
Jose Pimentel also known as Muhammad Yusuf and (often used alias in transactions) King James and LeBron, is a naturalized U.S. citizen arrested on November 20, 2011 by the New York City Police Department
for allegedly plotting to bomb New York City
.
and moved to the United States when he was five years old. In 2004, he moved to Schenectady, New York
and converted to Islam
that same year. In December 2005, he was arrested for buying computer with stolen credit card information he got while working at a Circuit City
in Albany, New York
.
, posting at least fifteen video clips of the extremist cleric to his YouTube account and posting materials from Awlaki and other terrorists on his website, trueislam1.com. After his arrest, information surfaced that the F.B.I. had declined to get involved in the case as they thought Pimentel was incapable of successfully executing the attack and was merely mentally unstable. The Huffington Post
reported that Pimentel smoked marijuana with the NYPD's cooperating informant
in the case, and was likely high when making some of the incriminating statements recorded by police. He was planning to change his name to Osama Hussein to celebrate his heroes Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
for allegedly plotting to bomb New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Early life
Pimentel is originally from the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and moved to the United States when he was five years old. In 2004, he moved to Schenectady, New York
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
and converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
that same year. In December 2005, he was arrested for buying computer with stolen credit card information he got while working at a Circuit City
Circuit City
Circuit City Stores, Inc. was an American retailer in brand-name consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software, and large appliances. The company opened its first store in 1949 and pioneered the electronics superstore format in the 1970s...
in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
.
Bomb plot
Pimentel's alleged targets included U.S. troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Pimentel is reported to be a devotee of Anwar al-AwlakiAnwar al-Awlaki
Anwar al-Awlaki was an American and Yemeni imam who was an engineer and educator by training. According to U.S. government officials, he was a senior talent recruiter and motivator who was involved with planning operations for the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda...
, posting at least fifteen video clips of the extremist cleric to his YouTube account and posting materials from Awlaki and other terrorists on his website, trueislam1.com. After his arrest, information surfaced that the F.B.I. had declined to get involved in the case as they thought Pimentel was incapable of successfully executing the attack and was merely mentally unstable. The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
reported that Pimentel smoked marijuana with the NYPD's cooperating informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
in the case, and was likely high when making some of the incriminating statements recorded by police. He was planning to change his name to Osama Hussein to celebrate his heroes Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.