Monday, October 18, 2010

Four black men have been found guilty of planning to bomb a synagogue and Jewish center and plotting to shoot military planes with missiles

James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams and Laguerre Payen were charged with conspiring to blow up a synagogue and Jewish community center in the Riverdale section of Bronx, New York. They were also accused of planning to fire surface-to-air-missiles at the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York. The black men, who could now face life in prison, were arrested in 2009 after planting what they thought were live explosives at various locations. They had unknowingly been working with an FBI informant, who supplied them with what they were told was military-grade explosive material and a Stinger surface-to-air guided missile. The four black men were found guilty on seven of the eights counts against them, including conspiracy and attempts to use and acquire weapons of mass destruction and anti-aircraft missiles. Cromitie and Williams were also found guilty of attempting to kill officers and employees of the United States. Each of the seven charges the men were found guilty on carry a maximum term of life in prison. Soon after the verdict was read, Alicia McWilliams, David Williams' aunt, was escorted out of the courtroom. She had begun screaming expletives and repeatedly yelling, "There's no justice!" The judge asked that she be removed.

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