US v. Defreitas, Russell, et al.
Brooklyn, NY

Homegrown

[EDNY] Four individuals were charged on June 2, 2007 with conspiring to attack New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, NY. The plot involved an international network of Muslim extremists from the U.S., Guyana, and Trinidad. Two of the individuals, Russell Defrietas and Abdul Kadir were convicted of conspiracy charges in August 2010. Both Abdul Kadir and Russell Defrietas have been sentenced to life in prison.

According to the complaint, Defrietas described to a government informant an incident that motivated his desire to attack JFK airport. He said that while working at the airport he saw military parts being shipped to Israel, including missiles, that he felt would be used against Muslims. As a result, Defreitas told the informant, he "wanted to do something to get those bastards." Defrietas had earlier told the informant that Muslims always incur the wrath of the world while Jews get a "pass." Defrietas and Kadir appealed their sentences as "substantially" and "procedurally" unreasonable but the Second Circuit Court ruled the two Islamic militants were properly convicted.