Somali-Canadian Muslim convicted of planning terror attack on NYC

Last month, the administration of President Donald Trump unveiled new travel restrictions on foreigners from a number of predominantly Muslim countries, including Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea (OK, they're not Muslims, just Commies), Venezuela (ditto), Syria, Yemen and Somalia. Quite right too, especially as regards Somalis. 1000s of Somali "refugees" have already invaded the USA and Canada, where they alternate between collecting welfare and planning or waging jihad against their hosts. (That, fellow citizens, means US.)

Just last week, in Edmonton AB, Abdulahi Hasan Sharif, a Muslim refugee from Somalia, deliberately drove a car into a cop directing traffic outside Confederation stadium. After failing to kill him with a car, the "ISIS soldier" attacked the cop with a knife before running away. Later he drove a rented van into some pedestrians on a downtown street, injuring a half dozen or so. He is now in custody facing charges of attempted murder, but, interestingly, not terrorism, because the Canuck "authorities" don't want to be accused of Islamophobia. M-103, you know. (OK, if you're not Canadian, you won't know. Google it.)

It was a pretty minor attack, as these things go, with no fatalities. At least one of Mr Sharif's countrymen and co-religionists was planning something bigger. A lot bigger! Yesterday the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York revealed the details of a plot by Islamic terrorist wannabes to commit mayhem and wreak havoc in New York City. Their plan included detonating bombs in Times Square and in the New York subway system, as well as shootings at various concert venues.

According to the information unsealed Friday, three people were involved in the nefarious scheme. Talha Haroon, a 19-year-old American citizen living in Pakistan, and Russell Salic, a 37-year-old Filipino, were arrested overseas. It is "hoped", the Attorney's Office says, that they will be extradited to the U.S. for prosecution. Both Mr Haroon and Mr Salic are followers of the Prophet.

So is Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy, a 19-year-old Somali who came to Canada as a "refugee" and was living the Mississauga ON ghetto. According to court records unsealed only yesterday, Mr El Bahnasawy purchased bomb-making materials and helped secure a cabin within driving distance of New York City for the purpose of building explosive devices. He has been in custody in the USA since his arrest by the FBI in May of 2016, and pleaded guilty on October 13th to seven charges, including:

• Conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction.
• Conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
• Conspiring to bomb a place of public use and public transport.
• Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.
• Attempted provision and provision of material support and resources to terrorists.
• Conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, i.e. ISIS.
• Attempted provision and provision of material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, i.e. ISIS.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on 12 December 2017.

According to the court records, Messrs El Bahnasawy and Haroon plotted to carry out the attacks in support of ISIS during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In preparing for the attacks, the two communicated electronically with an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS supporter. They allegedly declared their allegiance to ISIS and expressed their intent to carry out attacks resembling the recent Paris and Brussels attacks. "These Americans need an attack," El Bahnasawy allegedly stated to the officer, saying he aspired "to create the next 9/11."

Mr El Bahnasawy travelled to the New York City area on 21 May 2016, in preparation for staging and ultimately carrying out the attacks. American law enforcement monitored the trip in co-ordination with their Canadian counterparts, and arrested the would-be bomber that night in Cranford NJ.

Asked by CBC News to comment, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said, "Abdulrahman El-Bahnasawy is a Canadian citizen who was part of an international plot to commit terrorist attacks in the United States and the charges are a direct result of his involvement and role." They added that the safety or security of the (presumably Canadian) public was at no time at risk during the investigation. So that's all right then.

Innocent question: Why did the American authorities, who had arrested Mr El Bahnasawy in May of 2016, keep everything a deep, dark secret until this week? Nothing to do with the presidential election and President 0's insistence that there was nothing to fear from the terrorists he refused to name, I'm sure.