Jose Pimentel

Jose Pimentel
Born (1984-11-08) November 8, 1984 (age 40)
Dominican Republic
NationalityAmerican
CitizenshipAmerican
Known forArrested for allegedly plotting to bomb New York City
Criminal charge(s)3 counts of terrorism-related crimes and two other counts
Children1 [1]

Jose Pimentel (born November 8, 1984[2]), also known as Muhammad Yusuf, is a naturalized U.S. citizen arrested on November 20, 2011, by the New York City Police Department for allegedly plotting to bomb New York City.[3]

Early life

Pimentel is originally from the Dominican Republic and moved to the United States when he was five years old.[2] In 2004, he moved to Schenectady, New York, to attend college and converted to Islam that same year. In December 2005, he was arrested for buying a computer with stolen credit card information he got while working at a Circuit City in Albany, New York.[2]

Bomb plot

Pimentel's alleged targets included U.S. troops returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.[4] Pimentel is reported to have shown theological interest in Anwar al-Awlaki, posting at least fifteen video clips of the extremist cleric to his YouTube account and posting materials from Awlaki and other terrorists on his website, trueislam1.com.[5][6] After his arrest, information surfaced that the FBI had declined to get involved in the case as they thought Pimentel was incapable of successfully executing the attack and was merely mentally unstable.[7] The Huffington Post reported that Pimentel smoked marijuana with the NYPD's cooperating informant in the case, and was likely high when making some of the incriminating statements recorded by police.[8] Police outlets claim that he was planning to change his name to Osama Hussein to celebrate his heroes Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, though these claims have been heavily disputed by members of the Hamilton Heights community.[2]

See also


References

  1. ^ Father of New York terror suspect disputes charges
  2. ^ a b c d Mother Of Suspected 'Lone Wolf' Terrorist Apologizes To City
  3. ^ Barron, James (21 November 2011). "Suspect in New York Bomb Plot Left an Online Trail". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  4. ^ "New York man arrested suspected of bomb plot". BBC. 21 November 2011. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  5. ^ Al Qaeda Inspired New York Resident Arrested on Terrorism Charges, Anti-Defamation League, November 21, 2011.
  6. ^ Terror plot shows al-Awlaki's influence lives on after death
  7. ^ McVeigh, Karen (21 November 2011). "New York bomb suspect Jose Pimentel not a serious terror threat: FBI sources". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  8. ^ Mathias, Christopher (22 November 2011). "Jose Pimentel Smoked Marijuana With NYPD Informant, Tried To Circumcise Himself". Huffington Post.