- Cholo Abdi Abdullah’s sentencing postponed after he requested new legal representation.
- Convicted for plotting a 9/11-style terror attack on U.S. soil on behalf of al-Shabaab.
- Federal prosecutors seek a life sentence, citing his specialized piloting skills as a continued threat.
- Planned to crash a hijacked plane into Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza.
- Trained in Somalia before enrolling in a Philippine flight school to obtain a commercial pilot’s license.
- Arrested in the Philippines in 2019, later cooperated with the FBI.
The sentencing of Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a Kenyan national convicted of plotting a catastrophic terrorist attack on the U.S., has been delayed following his last-minute request for new lawyers. The convicted extremist, who represented himself during the trial, informed the court on Monday, March 25, that he wanted a fresh legal team before sentencing.
“I don’t want these two lawyers to represent me. I want to start fresh,” Abdullah told Judge Analisa Torres, appearing in a beige jail smock over an orange T-shirt.
Judge Torres temporarily closed the courtroom for a private discussion with Abdullah before announcing that she would appoint new legal counsel and reschedule his sentencing for April 7.
Prosecutors Push for Maximum Sentence
Federal prosecutors are pushing for a life sentence, arguing that Abdullah remains a global threat due to his specialized aviation training funded by al-Shabaab.
“The defendant’s crimes, combined with his al-Shabaab-sponsored pilot skills, make him a continued danger to innocent lives worldwide. He was mere inches away from obtaining his commercial pilot’s license and executing his deadly plan,” prosecutors stated in their sentencing memo.
Planned Attack on U.S. Soil
Authorities revealed that Abdullah intended to hijack a commercial airliner and crash it into Atlanta’s tallest buildings, including the 55-story Bank of America Plaza. His goal was to recreate the September 11, 2001, attacks under direct orders from al-Shabaab.
Before pursuing aviation training, Abdullah spent months in Somalia receiving military training, learning how to use AK-47 rifles and manufacture explosives. He then moved to the Philippines, where he enrolled in a flight school and dedicated hundreds of hours to mastering commercial aircraft operation.
Deep Al-Shabaab Ties
According to prosecutors, Abdullah joined al-Shabaab in 2015 after becoming more religious and immersing himself in the extremist teachings of Anwar al-Awlaki. His Facebook messages provided evidence of his active involvement in planning attacks, training sessions, and securing funds for flight school.
After three months in a terrorist safe house, Abdullah was sent to the Philippines to train as a commercial pilot. Meanwhile, some of his al-Shabaab associates carried out the deadly DusitD2 attack in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2019.
His arrest in July 2019 by Philippine authorities prevented his deadly mission from being executed. During interrogations, Abdullah admitted that his mother had reported him to authorities after he confessed to joining al-Shabaab. He later cooperated with the FBI, providing intelligence on his training and terrorist network contacts.
