A Kenyan national was handed two consecutive life sentences for a thwarted attempt to replicate a 9/11-style attack, targeting Atlanta’s tallest building. Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a 34-year-old operative for the al-Shabaab terrorist organization, had planned to hijack a commercial airliner and crash it into the Bank of America Plaza, federal prosecutors disclosed. The sentence follows Abdullah's conviction on several terror-related charges, according to reports from both FOX 5 Atlanta and WALB News.
Abdullah’s connection to al-Shabaab dates back to 2015, with approximately a year spent in Somalia receiving military training and getting schooled in weapons and explosives. "Cholo Abdi Abdullah was a highly trained al-Shabaab operative who was dedicated to recreating the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks on behalf of a vicious terrorist organization," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton stated in a comment obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. His ambitions led him to the Philippines where, from October 2017 to July 2019, Abdullah pursued flight training in order to secure a commercial pilot license – all of this, funded by al-Shabaab's extensive extortion undertakings in their home country.
Mounting evidence seen in court exposed how Abdullah deliberately researched details of Delta flights and Atlanta’s cityscape, indicating a clear preference for the Bank of America Plaza as his target. He was arrested before reaching completion of an instrument rating required for a major airline job. Acknowledging the gravity of the plot, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg emphasized, "We thwarted this plot due to the relentless efforts of U.S. law enforcement and thereby likely saved many innocent lives," as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
In January 2019, court documents stated Abdullah intensified his planning after a briefing on an attack in Nairobi by his al-Shabaab handlers. He was found guilty of six counts, including providing material support to foreign terrorist organization, conspiring to murder U.S. nationals abroad, and attempting aircraft piracy. "His life sentence is a powerful reminder that those who plot attacks against the United States will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law," said Eisenberg in a statement echoed by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The collaborative efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, alongside international and U.S. law enforcement agencies, were crucial in bringing Abdullah to justice. The case, now closed with Abdullah's life sentences and lifetime of supervised release.
