New York, terror trial capital of the US

New York’s federal courts have seen many major terrorist trials since the early 1990s, several involving Al Qaeda-linked operatives.

1993-94: Trial in first World Trade Center bombing.

On Feb. 26, 1993, an explosive-packed Ryder truck was driven into the garage of the World Trade Center in New York, killing 6 people and injuring more than 1,000. After a six month trial with 204 witnesses and 1,000 pieces of evidence, all four defendants were convicted. Each receives a 240-year prison sentence without the possibility of parole.

1994-95: “Day of Terror” trial.

Twelve defendants, including “Blind Cleric” Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, were tried for a terror plot thwarted by the FBI in June 1993. Followers of Sheikh Rahman planned to bomb prominent sites in New York City, including the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln & Holland Tunnels, the United Nations, and the New York FBI office. Ten defendants were convicted and sentenced to 25 to 85 years in prison. Two pleaded guilty and received life sentences.

1995-96: “Manila Air” plot.

Ramzi Yousef, nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was one of three defendants tried in Manhattan Federal Court in a plot to plant a bomb in a dozen US commercial jetliners timed to go off when they were over the Pacific. Mr. Yousef, Abdul Hakim Murad, and Wali Khan Amin Shah were all convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, with Yousef sentenced to life in prison plus 240 years.

1997: Trial of Ramzi Yousef for his role as mastermind of the first World Trade Center bombing. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

1998: East Africa American embassy bombings.

US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, were bombed, killing 224 people and injuring more than 4,000. Osama bin Laden and 22 others were indicted for their role in the attacks; four were caught and convicted. Another suspect, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian national, is scheduled to be tried in September 2010.

2002: Millennium bombing plot.

Algerian nationals Mokhtar Haouari, Abdel Ghani Meskini, and Ahmed Ressam were charged in a conspiracy to bomb the Los Angeles airport during the millennium celebrations. Tried in a New York federal court, Mr. Haouari was convicted of conspiring to supply material support to Mr. Ressam’s plan to enter the US from Canada and set off a bomb at the L.A. airport. He was sentenced to 24 years. Meskini entered a plea agreement with the Justice department to testify against other suspects in exchange for a lighter sentence. Mr. Ressam testified against Haouari, and was sentenced in 2005 by a Los Angeles court to 22 years in prison.

2004-06: New York subway bomb plot.

James Elshafay and Shahawar Matin Siraj, both US citizens, were arrested for plotting to bomb a subway station near Madison Square Garden in New York City before the Republican National Convention. Mr. Siraj was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Mr. Elshafay pleaded guilty and received a five-year sentence for testifying against his co-conspirator.

2007-ongoing: JFK Airport bomb plot.

Four men were arrested in June 2007 over a plot to bomb fuel lines connected to the JFK airport in New York. Abdel Nur and Abdul Kadir of Guyana, cleric Kareem Ibrahim of Trinidad, and Guyana-born US citizen Russell Defreitas allegedly planned to use bombs in order to ignite millions of gallons of jet fuel at the airport. The plot reportedly never went beyond the planning stages. Mr. Defreitas was arrested in Brooklyn. The other three were detained in Trinidad and extradited in June 2008. The men pleaded not guilty to the charges and are awaiting trial.

2009: Oregon terrorist training camp

Lebanese-born Swedish citizen Oussama Kassir was arrested in Prague in 2005 on a warrant filed by US prosecutors for plotting to set up a jihadist training camp in Oregon and operating websites with instructions on how to make bombs. In May 2009, he was found guilty in a New York court of 11 charges, including providing material support to Al Qaeda and distributing information on explosives and weapons of mass destruction, and later sentenced to life in prison.

2009-ongoing: New York synagogue bomb plot

Four men were arrested in the Bronx in May 20, 2009 after allegedly plotting to detonate bombs near a synagogue, and to shoot Stinger surface-to-air missiles at Air National Guard aircraft at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y. Fake bombs and missiles were provided by a government informant. On June 2, 2009, James Cromitie, Onta Williams, David Williams, and Laguerre Payen were charged in an eight-count indictment, and are awaiting trial.

2010: Denver/NYC bomb plot

Denver resident Najibullah Zazi was arrested on September 20, 2009, on suspicion of associating with Al Qaeda and planning to carry out a terrorist attack in New York. Subsequently, his father, Mohammed Wali Zazi, and his imam Ahmad Wais Afzali were also arrested. Najibullah Zazi is currently in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn awaiting trial.

2010: Fourth suspect in East Africa American embassy bombings

Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian national, is scheduled to be tried in September 2010 for his alleged role in the US Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. US Attorney General Eric Holder has issued a letter directing the US attorney’s office not to seek the death penalty. Indicted on 286 charges, including conspiring with Al Qaeda, he was captured in Pakistan and detained at Guantánamo Bay. He was transferred in June 2009 to New York to stand trial.

Sources: Anti-Defamation League, FBI.gov, Findlaw.gov, 9-11commission.gov, Middle East Quarterly, Department of Justice, news and wire reports.

Joe the Plumber Hits Media Coverage, Tells ‘E&P’ He Hopes Palin Does Not Run in 2012

...Regarding Palin, the former Republican vice presidential candidate now making her rounds across the country on a book tour, Wurzelbacher told E&P he hopes she is not a candidate for president in 2012.

“I hope she doesn’t (run) because I think she could do a lot for America outside of office,” Wurzelbacher said. “And I think she could rally Americans to get together and make some changes from the grassroots level. I think she could be an incredible rallying point, and I think that’s where she could serve America best.”

Postal Service to resume North Pole Santa letters

NCHORAGE, Alaska – Wide-eyed children around the world will be hearing from Santa’s “elves” at the North Pole after all.

During Christmas seasons for decades, these dedicated elves responded to thousands of letters addressed to “Santa Claus, North Pole.”

All that was ending with a U.S. Postal Service decision to discontinue the program based in the small Alaskan town amid privacy concerns.

The elves from Santa’s Mailbag vowed to fight the decision, while North Pole residents voiced outrage.

A reversal of the Postal Service move was announced Friday.

“We never wanted to spoil people’s Christmas,” said agency spokesman Ernie Swanson. “It was just a decision we had to make based on privacy concerns, and it is labor-intensive. But it’s still nice that we’re able to resume this and still make people’s holiday.”

Sears Tower bomb plot leader Narseal Batiste jailed

The leader of a group which plotted to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago has been sentenced to 13-and-a-half years in prison.

Narseal Batiste, 35, also planned to bomb FBI offices, along with four other men who have already been jailed.

Prosecutors said the men conspired to provide material support to al-Qaeda but defence lawyers said the plot was never serious.

NY-23 absentees, day four

Rep. William L. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, has erased Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman’s lead among absentee voters - and is now 253 votes ahead of his challenger in that category. Mr. Owens is now 3,398 votes ahead of Mr. Hoffman overall with 813 ballots left to be counted.

Mr. Hoffman had what now appears to be a false lead among absentee voters all week because St. Lawrence County - which went to Mr. Owens by a large margin on Election Day - had not reported numbers until today.

Ethics panel votes to charge Sanford

ov. Mark Sanford agreed Thursday to remove the last hurdle to a long-delayed House of Representatives impeachment investigation of his travel and campaign expenses.

Sanford’s attorneys said they planned to turn over a disputed State Ethics Commission investigative report to the House, likely early next week. House leaders have been waiting to review the report, which has been shielded from the public, before allowing impeachment hearings to begin.

Sanford’s attorneys provided some insight into the months-long ethics investigation Thursday, disclosing the commission has questioned about three-dozen instances of Sanford’s travel and use of campaign funds.

One sponsor of the House impeachment resolution, Rep. Greg Delleney, R-Chester, said the special impeachment panel could meet before Thanksgiving.

NY-23 ABSENTEE COUNTS: Hoffman can’t win

It’s over. Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, leads by 3,105 votes with 3,072 absentee ballots left to be counted.

...With 58.6 percent of all absentees counted, Mr. Hoffman has gained 71 votes on Mr. Owens so far.

7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

Romans 13-1:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.