Four NY Men Charged with Plotting Attacks on Synagogues, Military Planes
Four men from New York state have been arrested in an alleged plot to bomb two Bronx synagogues and shoot down military planes with Stinger missiles.
The men were arrested after they left what they believed to be bombs in vehicles outside the synagogues, the Riverdale Temple and the nearby Riverdale Jewish Center, authorities told the New York Times. An informant had arranged a Connecticut shopping trip where the suspects obtained the fake bombs and an inactive surface-to-air missile system, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The suspects intended to use the missiles to shoot down planes at an Air National Guard base at Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, N.Y., the Times says. The story identifies the suspects as James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen, all Muslims from Newburgh.
Cromitie’s parents had lived in Afghanistan before he was born. The criminal complaint alleges he told an informant he was angry about the war in that country and wanted to “do something to America.” He allegedly said that the best target—the World Trade Center—had already been hit.
The men were charged them with conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction and conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles.
The Times posted the criminal complaint (PDF) and the press release (PDF) announcing the charges.
