Riverdale, NY – The accused ringleader of a group of wanna-be terrorists told an FBI informant he had the will to bomb Bronx synagogues and shoot down planes but lacked the means, prosecutors said.
“The funny thing is, I have the brains,” James Cromitie, of Newburgh, told the informant. “I just don’t have the money.”
Taking the cue, the informant told Cromitie, “The funny thing is I have the money,” according to court records in Manhattan Federal Court.
Cromitie’s defense lawyer said his client and the other three suspects were entrapped by the informant, who provided fake explosives and a disabled anti-aircraft missile to the crew.
Manhattan Judge Colleen McMahon earlier this week put the trial on hold indefinitely, slamming prosecutors for withholding evidence that could prove crucial for the accused.
McMahon said the defense should have gotten a memo from an FBI agent that told security staff at a National Guard base in Newburgh not to worry if they came across Cromitie skulking around.
The agent told the base manager it was “extremely unlikely” Cromitie could carry out any threat without the help of the FBI informant.
McMahon ordered a bail hearing Monday for the four indigent suspects.
Prosecutors argued against bail, saying Cromitie was the one who brought up the possibility of forming a terror cell.
When Cromitie’s interest seemed to flag, “the FBI told the (informant) to suggest operational steps to help assess whether Cromitie lacked the will to go forward or simply the capacity to design a plan,” the government said.
When the informant suggested surveillance missions, Cromitie enthusiastically suggested they “go to that Stewart Airport and ride around and see.”
He also suggested they “scope out” some synagogues.
The men were arrested in May 2009 after attempting to detonate explosives near a synagogue and a Jewish community center in Riverdale.
They were also accused of plotting to shoot down military planes.
(Source: NY Daily News)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
So the judge will allow terrorists go scot free because of a technicality, right? Let’s say the terrorists would have tried to bomb a target next door to her private abode, would they she have said the same thing?