On August 23, it was revealed in a press release from The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that two women from Queens have pleaded guilty to teaching and distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, and weapon of mass destruction, intending that it be used to commit a federal crime of violence. “The guilty pleas were entered before United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. When sentenced, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison,” says the DOJ.
The two women, Asia Siddiqui and Noelle Velentzas, are both citizens of the United States and residents of Queens, but judges say they were deeply inspired by radical Islam, which led them to doing their own research into bomb-making to carry out homegrown terrorist attacks in the U.S. They were sentenced at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn.
“Inspired by radical Islam, Velentzas and Siddiqui researched and taught each other how to construct bombs to be used on American soil against law enforcement and military targets,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers. “They were thwarted by the excellent work of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and prosecution. For this, we are grateful.”
According to U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue, the two studied and drew inspiration from the most deadly terrorist attacks to ever go off in the U.S. However, rather than targeting the general populace, as is done in most terrorist attacks, Siddiqui and Velentzas had planned on attacking law enforcement and military personnel specifically.
“In an effort to implement their violent, radical ideology, the defendants studied some of the most deadly terrorist attacks in U.S. history, and used them as a blueprint for their own plans to kill American law enforcement and military personnel,” stated United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, they were stopped before they could bring their murderous plans to fruition.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. made the following statement:
Velentzas and Siddiqui were intent on waging violent jihad here in the United States, researching at length historical terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, educating themselves on how to turn propane tanks into explosive devices, and dreaming up plans to kill Americans on our own turf. Today’s plea is not only a welcome end to this years-long investigation, but a credit to the FBI’s JTTF in New York and our many law enforcement partners who saw this through to the end.
According to the DOJ press release, Velentzas and Siddiqui had been planning to build a bomb to wage jihad since roughly 2013-2016. They apparently spent their time teaching each other chemistry and electric skills directly applicable to the creation of explosives and detonating devices. Furthermore, the two went out of their way to learn about how to make plastic explosives and car bombs and even bought some of the materials needed for these weapons.
As mentioned, they drew inspiration from previous terrorist attacks which were successful in the U.S., including the Boston Marathon bombing, and the Oklahoma City bombing, and the 1993 World Trade Center attack by Ramzi Yousef. They also researched their proposed targets, settling on law enforcement and military-related targets.
“This investigation and the subsequent guilty pleas are yet another example of how each day the NYPD and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force remain vigilant and relentless in their efforts to protect New York City and keep America safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I want to commend our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for helping to bring these individuals to justice.”
Siddiqui’s interests have been traced back to writings she submitted to a “radical jihadist magazine edited by Samir Khan, a now-deceased prominent figure and member of the designated foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).”
Her co-conspirator has also been noted for espousing terrorist sympathies. Velentzas praised the 9/11 attacks and claimed that suicide-attack martyrdom was a guaranteed entrance into heaven. She advised that terrorist sympathizers “go for the head” when targeting government officials.
According to the DOJ, as well as being arrested, law enforcement officers seized a number of materials which suggest that the two women were still actively planning to carry out a terrorist attack of some magnitude. The seized items included propane gas tanks, soldering tools, car bomb instructions, jihadist literature, machetes, and several knives.
They now face up to 20 years in federal prison for their conspiracy.
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