New York City landmark bomb plot
Encyclopedia
The New York City landmark bomb plot was a planned follow-up to the February 1993 World Trade Center bombing designed to inflict mass casualties on American soil by attacking well known landmark targets throughout New York City
in the United States
. If the attack had been successful, it is likely it would have resulted in the death of thousands. The plot was foiled in 1993 before it could be carried out.
, Omar Abdel-Rahman
, a radical Muslim
cleric in New York City
, to be carried out by some of his followers. Rahman was the spiritual leader of the al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
, a radical Egyptian Islamic group and had links to al-Qaeda
. One of Rahman's followers, El Sayyid Nosair
, had assassinated Meir Kahane
in 1990 and was linked to the 1993 Trade Center bombing.
, the Lincoln Tunnel
, the Holland Tunnel
, the George Washington Bridge
, and the FBI's main New York office at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building
. There was also some talk of bombing Jewish targets in the city as well as assassinating U.S. Senator
Al D'Amato
and Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak
.
The militants carried out extensive surveillance both inside and outside the targets using human probes, hand-drawn maps and video surveillance. Detailed notes were taken on the layout and design of the buildings, with stairwells, ballrooms, security cameras and personnel all reconnoitered.
Similarly attacks were carried out in mumbai later known as 2008 Mumbai attacks
The conspirators were arrested on June 24, 1993. On October 1, 1995, Rahman and nine others were convicted by a New York jury on 48 of 50 charges, including seditious conspiracy, solicitation to murder Mubarak, conspiracy to murder Mubarak, solicitation to attack a U.S. military installation, and conspiracy to conduct bombings.
According to lead prosecutor Andrew C. McCarthy
, at the trial it was shown that Sudan had "close ties" to Rahman and the other plotters. Sudanese diplomats assisted the planned attack on the United Nations Headquarters
.
Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and the nine others were convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from 25 years to life in prison.
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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. If the attack had been successful, it is likely it would have resulted in the death of thousands. The plot was foiled in 1993 before it could be carried out.
Attackers
The plot was espoused by the blind sheikhSheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
, Omar Abdel-Rahman
Omar Abdel-Rahman
Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman , commonly known in the United States as "The Blind Sheikh", is a blind Egyptian Muslim leader who is currently serving a life sentence at the Butner Medical Center which is part of the Butner Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, United...
, a radical Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
cleric in 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...
, to be carried out by some of his followers. Rahman was the spiritual leader of the al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya is an Egyptian Islamist movement, and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union and Egyptian governments...
, a radical Egyptian Islamic group and had links to al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. One of Rahman's followers, El Sayyid Nosair
El Sayyid Nosair
El Sayyid Nosair is an Egyptian-born American citizen, convicted of involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing...
, had assassinated Meir Kahane
Meir Kahane
Martin David Kahane , also known as Meir Kahane , was an American-Israeli rabbi and ultra-nationalist writer and political figure. He was an ordained Orthodox rabbi and later served as a member of the Israeli Knesset...
in 1990 and was linked to the 1993 Trade Center bombing.
Targets
The five targets to be attacked were the United Nations HeadquartersUnited Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
, the Lincoln Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
The Lincoln Tunnel is a long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.-History:...
, the Holland Tunnel
Holland Tunnel
The Holland Tunnel is a highway tunnel under the Hudson River connecting the island of Manhattan in New York City with Jersey City, New Jersey at Interstate 78 on the mainland. Unusual for an American public works project, it is not named for a government official, politician, or local hero or...
, the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
, and the FBI's main New York office at the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building
Jacob K. Javits Federal Building
Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building at 26 Federal Plaza in the Civic Center, Manhattan, New York City is a forty-plus story structure which houses many federal government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation New York City field office...
. There was also some talk of bombing Jewish targets in the city as well as assassinating U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Al D'Amato
Al D'Amato
Alfonse Marcello "Al" D'Amato is an American lawyer and former New York politician. A Republican, he served as United States Senator from New York from 1981 to 1999.-Early life and family:...
and Egyptian President
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
.
The militants carried out extensive surveillance both inside and outside the targets using human probes, hand-drawn maps and video surveillance. Detailed notes were taken on the layout and design of the buildings, with stairwells, ballrooms, security cameras and personnel all reconnoitered.
Similarly attacks were carried out in mumbai later known as 2008 Mumbai attacks
2008 Mumbai attacks
The 2008 Mumbai attacks were more than 10 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks across Mumbai, India's largest city, by Islamist attackers who came from Pakistan...
Prosecution
An FBI informant named Emad Salem had infiltrated the group, gathering information that leads to arrests of the plotters.The conspirators were arrested on June 24, 1993. On October 1, 1995, Rahman and nine others were convicted by a New York jury on 48 of 50 charges, including seditious conspiracy, solicitation to murder Mubarak, conspiracy to murder Mubarak, solicitation to attack a U.S. military installation, and conspiracy to conduct bombings.
According to lead prosecutor Andrew C. McCarthy
Andrew C. McCarthy
Andrew C. McCarthy III is a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. A Republican, he is most notable for leading the 1995 terrorism prosecution against Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and eleven others. The defendants were convicted of the 1993 World Trade Center...
, at the trial it was shown that Sudan had "close ties" to Rahman and the other plotters. Sudanese diplomats assisted the planned attack on the United Nations Headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
.
Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and the nine others were convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from 25 years to life in prison.
See also
- 2009 New York City bomb plot
- November 2008 Mumbai attacks - Mumbai attacks were primilarly based upon Landmark Plot(New York)