Muslim College student is jailed for 18 years after helping ISIS plot a pressure-cooker bomb attack on New York City

‘I’m in NY and trying to do an Op,’ Saleh told a confidential source in an intercepted conversation. Federal authorities said that Saleh, a resident of Flushing in the New York City borough of Queens, spent hours online researching how to build a pressure-cooker bomb and reading accounts of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. And he spent successive days casing the George Washington bridge.

Sale’s father said had been conducting simple internet searches. He defended his son, saying that it was a misunderstanding and he had been set up by informants. The father is blaming authorities. He should have been arrested too for lying and obstructing justice in the cause of jihad terror

A college student will serve 18 years in prison after he admitted to plotting a bomb attack in New York for ISIS.

College student is jailed for 18 years after helping ISIS plot a pressure-cooker bomb attack on New York City

• Munther Omar Saleh was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court in Brooklyn
• The 22-year-old pleaded guilty last year to charges that he planned to help ISIS
• ‘I’m in NY and trying to do an Op,’ Saleh told a confidential source in an intercepted conversation
• In March of 2015, a police officer observed Saleh on successive days on foot at the George Washington Bridge seemingly looking around
• The behavior prompted officers to interview Saleh, who denied sympathizing with ISIS

By Associated Press and Reuters and Dailymail.com Reporter, 7 February 2018

A college student will serve 18 years in prison after he admitted to plotting a bomb attack in New York for ISIS.

Munther Omar Saleh, 22, admitted to scheming to help the terror group hit New York landmarks, including the Statue of Liberty.

He was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court in Brooklyn.

The 22-year-old pleaded guilty last year to charges of supporting terrorism.

As part of his guilty plea, Saleh admitted that he had sought to communicate with and support the group and assaulted a federal officer.

 Munther Omar Saleh (pictured right with his father in this undated photo) was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court in Brooklyn. He pleaded guilty to helping ISIS plot a terrorist attack in New York

Prosecutors said he escorted a co-defendant to an airport for a planned trip to join the Islamic State group overseas (the co-defendant was arrested before he could join the group), researched how to build a pressure-cooker bomb and discussed potential landmarks as targets with an Islamic State recruiter.

‘I’m in NY and trying to do an Op,’ Saleh told a confidential source in an intercepted conversation, according to court papers.

Later, Saleh charged, while armed with a knife, at a federal officer who was watching him, prosecutors said.

‘Saleh attempted to turn our city into a staging ground for violent attacks,’ William Sweeney, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office, said in a statement.

Brooklyn US Attorney Richard Donoghue said Saleh’s sentence would deter ‘those who contemplate waging violent jihad in New York City at the direction of a foreign terrorist organization.’

Saleh’s lawyer, Deborah Colson, said her client was relieved that the case was concluded.

‘Mr. Saleh is sincerely remorseful, and he is committed to making amends,’ she said in an email.

 In March 2015, a police officer observed Saleh on successive days on foot at the George Washington Bridge – which connects New Jersey and New York – acting suspiciously

Before his arrest, Saleh was enrolled at Queens College (above), which specializes in aeronautics. He was studying electrical circuitry

Saleh, an American citizen, was a college student when he was arrested in 2015.

His case was linked to five other conspirators in New York and New Jersey.

At least four of them have also pleaded guilty.

In a letter to the judge earlier this year, Saleh said he was drawn to the Islamic State group because he saw it as an ‘Islamic resistance movement’ amid the Syrian civil war.

He said he became alarmed and ‘started exercising very bad judgment’ when he noticed law enforcement following him.

‘I am sorry for my shameful behavior,’ he wrote.

In March of 2015, a police officer observed Saleh on successive days on foot at the George Washington Bridge – which connects New Jersey and New York – seemingly looking around, court papers said.

The behavior prompted officers to interview Saleh, who denied sympathizing with Islamic State and also granted them permission to examine his computer, authorities said.

Investigators found the computer contained Islamic State propaganda, according to court filings.

Saleh’s father defended his son, saying that it was a misunderstanding and he had been set up by informants.

The father said Saleh had been conducting simple internet searches.

Federal authorities said that Saleh, a resident of Flushing in the New York City borough of Queens, spent hours online researching how to build a pressure-cooker bomb and reading accounts of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Before his arrest, Saleh was enrolled at Queens College, which specializes in aeronautics. He was studying electrical circuitry.