Tuesday, July 31, 2007 1:59 PM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A North Side man accused of plotting to blow up a central Ohio shopping mall has signed an agreement to plead guilty in federal court.
Nuradin Abdi, 35, a Somali immigrant, had been scheduled to go on trial next week before U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley. At 1:30 this afternoon, while in court with his attorney, he agreed to plead guilty. Under the agreement, he pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The maximum sentence is 10 years. Three other charges were dropped.
Official sentencing date hasn't been set yet.
Abdi had faced up to 80 years in prison if convicted of the original charge of providing support to al-Qaida. The U.S. attorney's office has said Abdi wanted to blow up a shopping mall; the target, if it ever existed, was never identified.
Marbley had allowed convicted terrorist Iyman Faris to testify on Abdi's behalf. He was to say that Abdi's comments represented his anger with U.S. foreign policy and not an actual plan to blow up a mall.
Faris is serving 20 years in prison for plotting to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.
http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/conten ... iplea.html
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I am sure the family is somewhat relieved, he was facing a life sentence!