A jury in federal court in Manhattan deliberated eight days before finding alleged mastermind James Cromitie and three co-defendants guilty of charges including conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction and conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles to kill U.S. officers and employees.
Cromitie and David Williams were convicted of all eight counts, while Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen were convicted of seven of eight counts.
The trial featured 13 days of testimony by undercover informant Shahed Hussain, who met Cromitie at a mosque north of New York City. Prosecutors also relied on hundreds of hours of video and audiotape of the men discussing the scheme at the informant’s home, handling fake weapons — even praying together.
The FBI-orchestrated sting never put New Yorkers at risk. But the defendants “thought this was real — real bombs, real missiles — every step of the way,” Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raskin said during closing arguments.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.