The sentencing of Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a Kenyan national convicted of planning a 9/11-style terror attack in the United States, has been postponed to April 7, 2025, after he requested new legal representation. Abdullah, 34, was found guilty on six counts, including conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, plotting to murder U.S. nationals, and planning aircraft piracy.
Abdullah, who represented himself during parts of the trial, appeared before Judge Analisa Torres on Monday and asked for new lawyers, rejecting the standby counsel offered by the court. “I don’t want these two lawyers to represent me. I want to start fresh,” he said, as reported by ABC News. Judge Torres agreed to adjourn the proceedings and appoint new counsel.
Prosecutors revealed that Abdullah, trained by the Somali militant group al-Shabaab, aimed to replicate al-Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks by hijacking a commercial plane and crashing it into a U.S. skyscraper. He traveled to the Philippines, enrolled in flight school, and obtained a private pilot’s license before authorities uncovered the plot and arrested him in July 2019.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised law enforcement for their relentless efforts in bringing Abdullah to justice. “Thanks to their work and today’s verdict, Abdullah will now serve a lengthy sentence in federal prison,” Williams stated in November 2023. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence, arguing that Abdullah remains a global threat.
The case also revealed disturbing connections to other attacks. While Abdullah was in the Philippines, his associates carried out the 2019 DusitD2 hotel attack in Nairobi, killing 21 people.
As the sentencing date approaches, the case highlights ongoing counterterrorism challenges and the persistent threat posed by extremist networks. The delay allows Abdullah new legal representation, but the evidence against him remains overwhelming, ensuring he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.
