2007 John F. Kennedy International Airport attack plot
| Company type | Alleged terrorist conspiracy |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aviation security threat |
| Founded | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Queens, New York , United States |
The 2007 John F. Kennedy International Airport attack plot involved an alleged Islamist terrorist conspiracy aimed at destroying the jet fuel storage tanks and pipelines supplying John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York. These pipelines are situated underground beneath heavily populated neighborhoods. The scheme was uncovered when an undercover law enforcement agent successfully penetrated the domestic terrorist cell.
Plot
Among those implicated were Russell Defreitas, a U.S. citizen employed at JFK airport and considered the purported leader; Abdul Kadir, a citizen of Guyana and former member of its National Assembly; Kareem Ibrahim, a Trinidad and Tobago national; and Abdel Nur, also from Guyana and uncle to former world welterweight boxing champion Andrew "Six Heads" Lewis.
In intercepted discussions, Defreitas highlighted the profound symbolic significance of targeting JFK airport, asserting that an attack there would profoundly impact the United States. He also voiced concerns regarding arms shipments to Israel, which he viewed as a threat to Muslims.
The group reportedly referred to their scheme as "Chicken Farm." They carried out detailed reconnaissance using satellite imagery and sought connections with other Islamist terrorist organizations, although they did not acquire any explosives.
Investigations examined possible connections to Iran, especially since Kadir intended to travel there. Authorities in Trinidad probed potential links between Ibrahim and Iraq or Iran. U.S. officials later claimed that the conspirators aimed to obtain support from Iran. Court records identified Kadir as a follower of Mohsen Rabbani, an Iranian diplomat accused of orchestrating the 1994 AMIA bombing in Buenos Aires.
Arrests and trial
Defreitas was apprehended in Brooklyn, New York. Kadir and Ibrahim were detained in Trinidad on June 3, 2007, while Nur surrendered two days afterward.
On June 25, 2008, Kareem Ibrahim, Abdel Nur, and Abdul Kadir were extradited to the United States. They entered pleas of not guilty to charges alleging attempts to cause destruction exceeding that of the September 11 attacks and were held without bail awaiting hearings. Defreitas was similarly held after previously pleading not guilty. On June 29, all four individuals were formally indicted for conspiring to inflict death, serious injury, and extensive damage at the airport. A judge ordered the extradition of three suspects to the U.S. on August 6. On August 2, 2010, Kadir and Defreitas were convicted in relation to the JFK airport bomb plot. Ibrahim was found guilty in 2011 and received a life sentence in February 2012.
The informant was a longtime cocaine trafficker who began cooperating following a 2003 conviction involving possession of approximately $2 million worth of cocaine. Described as a former violent gang member with prior convictions including conspiracy to commit murder, his identity was kept confidential for security reasons.
Ibrahim passed away while in custody on January 19, 2016, at age 70 due to heart failure at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri (BOP#64657-053). Defreitas is serving a life sentence at USP McCreary (BOP#64347-053). Abdel Nur was sentenced to 15 years at USP Lewisburg (BOP#64655-053) before being deported back to Guyana in 2020.
Dispute Over the Threat Level of the Plot
Controversy emerged concerning the genuine danger posed by the JFK airport bombing scheme and the overall importance of thwarted terrorist plots. Skeptics questioned U.S. Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf’s assertion that the plan could have led to "unimaginable" destruction, contending it was never fully developed and did not present an actual threat to the public. Security analyst Bruce Schneier highlighted the technical challenges involved in igniting a fuel tank to cause a large-scale explosion at the airport or in Queens. Moreover, alleged ringleader Russell Defreitas was depicted as inept and occasionally homeless, while co-defendant Abdel Nur was said to have battled drug dependency.
The New York Times relegated the story to page 37 after it was announced, prompting criticism from Rich Lowry, editor of the National Review, who argued in the New York Post that although many disrupted plots may seem implausible, they must still be treated with utmost seriousness. Former chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Peter King, dismissed critiques of law enforcement as "the cost of success" following six years without attacks, stressing how public demands shifted post-9/11 from calls for increased action to intense scrutiny.
See also
External links
- Four charged in plot to blow up JFK airport
- Four Individuals Charged in Plot to Bomb John F. Kennedy International Airport
- 3 arrested in alleged airport plot
- Report: Feds bust JFK airport bomb plot
- Arrests in NY airport 'bomb plot'
- JFK TERROR PLOT: three under arrest Newsday June 3, 2007
- CBS News JFK Terror Suspects Face Extradition
- Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2007
- United States–Caribbean relations
- Failed terrorist attempts in New York City
- Islamic terrorism in New York (state)
- Terrorist attacks on airports in the United States
- 2007 in New York City
- 2007 in aviation
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Attacks on buildings and structures in New York (state)