Munther Omar Saleh, 22, of Queens, New York, was sentenced
today to 18 years in prison, to be followed by a term of 10 years’ supervised
release, for conspiring and attempting to provide material support to the
Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist
organization, and for assaulting and conspiring to assault federal officers. Saleh pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2017, to all
counts in the indictment.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security
Edward C. O’Callaghan, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern
District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of
the FBI’s New York Field Office and Commissioner James P. O’Neill of the NYPD
made the announcement. The sentence was
issued by U.S. District Judge Margo K. Brodie.
“Inspired by ISIS’s violent and hateful ideology, the
defendant conspired with others to use a pressure-cooker bomb in a terrorist
attack in New York and attempted to attack members of law enforcement who were
conducting surveillance of him,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General
O’Callaghan. “Today’s sentence is but
one example of our resolve to bring to justice homegrown violent extremists who
plot and attempt attacks on innocent people, including law enforcement agents,
in the U.S. in the name of foreign terrorist organizations.”
“Munther Omar Saleh and his coconspirators conducted attacks
on members of law enforcement who worked tirelessly to keep our city safe,”
stated U.S. Attorney Donoghue. “Saleh’s
sentence will not only incapacitate the defendant for a significant period of
time, but should also serve as a deterrent to those who contemplate waging
violent jihad in New York City at the direction of a foreign terrorist
organization. This Office, and our
partners on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, will never relent in our efforts to
hold terrorists accountable for their cowardly acts, including attacks on those
who protect us.”
“Saleh attempted to turn our city into a staging ground for
violent attacks, including those aimed at both local and federal law
enforcement officials. Directed by a known terrorist organization responsible
for civilian massacres and other heinous crimes worldwide, he supported and
attempted to facilitate the martyrdom of those with similar views,” said
Assistant Director in Charge Sweeney. “Today’s sentencing promises he’ll remain
behind bars for a significant period of time, upholding our faith in a justice
system that has little compassion for those who wish to harm our way of life.”
As alleged in the indictment and in other court filings,
Saleh and codefendant Fareed Mumuni conspired to support ISIS by helping their
coconspirators attempt to travel to ISIS-controlled territory in order to join
ISIS, and by plotting to use a pressure-cooker bomb to conduct a terrorist
attack in the New York metropolitan area on behalf of ISIS.
On June 13, 2015, Saleh and another coconspirator were
arrested in Queens after they attempted to attack members of law enforcement by
charging at a federal officer who was performing physical surveillance of
Saleh. Saleh and the coconspirator were
armed with knives. Following his arrest,
Saleh admitted to agents that he had discussed with Mumuni physically attacking
the law-enforcement officers who were surveilling Mumuni. On June 17, 2015, during the execution of a
search warrant at his residence in Staten Island, Mumuni was arrested after he
repeatedly stabbed an FBI agent in the torso with a large kitchen knife. The knife did not penetrate the agent’s
protective body armor, and he sustained minor injuries.
Mr. O’Callaghan and Mr. Donoghue praised the agents,
analysts and prosecutors for their dedication and commitment to this
investigation and prosecution.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S.
Attorneys Alexander A. Solomon, Douglas M. Pravda, and Ian C. Richardson, with
assistance provided by Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Bob Sander of the
National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
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