Four Indicted for Plot to Bomb Synagogue and Jewish Community Center and to Shoot Military Planes With Stinger Missiles
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 02, 2009 |
NEW YORK—Lev L. Dassin, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the filing of an eight-count Indictment against James Cromitie, a/k/a "Abdul Rahman," a/k/a "Abdul Rehman," David Williams, a/k/a "Daoud," a/k/a "DL," Onta Williams, a/k/a "Hamza," and Laguerre Payen, a/k/a "Amin," a/k/a "Almondo," arising from their plot to detonate explosives near a synagogue and Jewish community center in the Riverdale section of Bronx, N.Y., and to shoot military planes located at the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, N.Y., with Stinger surface-to-air guided missiles.
All four defendants were arrested on May 20, 2009, in Bronx, New York, on the basis of charges set forth in a sworn criminal Complaint. They were presented before United States Magistrate Judge Lisa M. Smith on May 21, 2009, and ordered detained pending trial.
The Indictment filed today in White Plains federal court charges Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams, and Payen with the following offenses, carrying the following potential penalties:
| Count | Charge | Maximum Prison Term |
| 1 | Conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States | Life |
| 2 | Attempt to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States | Life |
| 3 | Attempt to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States | Life |
| 4 | Attempt to use weapons of mass destruction within the United States | Life |
| 5 | Conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles | Life* |
| 6 | Attempt to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles | Life* |
| 7 | Conspiracy to kill officers and employees of the United States | Life |
| 8 | Attempt to kill officers and employees of the United States | 20 years |
*Counts Five and Six also carry mandatory minimum penalties of 25 years in prison.
The four defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on the Indictment in White Plains federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison on Wednesday, June 3, 2009, at 10:00 a.m., and the case will be assigned to a United States District Judge at that time.
Mr. Dassin praised the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force -- which principally consists of agents of the FBI and detectives of the New York City Police Department -- the New York State Police, and the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations for their extraordinary work in the investigation of this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Eric Snyder and David Leibowitz are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.