Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - A Kenyan national, Cholo Abdi Abdullah, has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States after being convicted of plotting a terrorist attack modeled on the September 11th, 2001 atrocities.
In a statement on Monday, December 22nd, the U.S.
Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York confirmed that U.S.
District Judge Analisa Torres handed down the sentence to the 35‑year‑old
following his conviction on multiple terrorism‑related charges.
Abdullah was found guilty after a jury trial concluded on
November 4th, 2024.
Prosecutors revealed that Abdullah, a trained Al‑Shabaab
operative, joined the group in 2015 and later pursued a commercial pilot
license at a flight school in the Philippines between 2017 and 2019.
His training, funded by Al‑Shabaab, included simulator
sessions, coursework, and hands‑on flight instruction.
Evidence showed he researched cockpit doors, airline
security procedures, and hijacking tactics, while sending regular progress
reports to his handler.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton described Abdullah as “dedicated
to recreating the horrific September 11th terrorist attacks,” noting
that he was prepared to die in the plot.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John
Eisenberg, added that the sentence reflected the seriousness of the plan and
the effectiveness of U.S counterterrorism efforts.
"Today,
justice has been served. Abdullah, an Al-Shabaab terrorist, sought to replicate
the most horrific terrorist attack in our history, as he prepared to hijack a
commercial airliner to take down a building on U.S. soil.”
"We
thwarted this plot due to the relentless efforts of U.S. law enforcement and
thereby likely saved many innocent lives.”
“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," he stated.
Court documents indicated Abdullah was arrested in July 2019
in the Philippines before completing his pilot certification, then transferred
to U.S custody in December 2020.
He admitted to FBI agents that he was training to hijack an
aircraft on behalf of Al‑Shabaab.
On November 4th, 2024, a jury convicted him on
six counts, including conspiring to murder U.S nationals, commit aircraft
piracy, destroy aircraft, and provide material support to a foreign terrorist
organization.
Judge Torres imposed the maximum penalty of life imprisonment, ensuring Abdullah will never carry out his intended attack.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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