Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a Kenyan member of the terrorist group al-Shabaab, trained as a pilot to hijack a commercial airliner and crash it into a U.S. skyscraper in an attack modeled after 9/11, prosecutors revealed.
Abdullah, 33, was arrested in 2019 in the Philippines just before obtaining his pilot’s license.
Authorities say he underwent months of flight training after receiving militant instruction in Somalia.
His arrest was triggered by a tip-off from his mother, who contacted authorities after Abdullah confessed to joining al-Shabaab.
The tip led to his capture and subsequent extradition to the U.S., where he now faces trial in a New York court.
Abdullah recently requested new legal representation, causing a delay in his sentencing, which is now scheduled for April 7.
U.S. prosecutors are pushing for a life sentence, arguing that he remains a significant threat to national security.
Abdullah’s case underscores ongoing concerns over al-Shabaab’s transnational ambitions, with U.S. officials warning of the group’s efforts to expand beyond East Africa.
His sentencing next month will determine whether he spends the rest of his life in prison for his role in the thwarted terror plot.
By Nairobi