New York — Cholo Abdi Abdullah, a trained pilot and operative linked to the al-Qaeda–affiliated terrorist group al-Shabaab, has been sentenced to life in prison for plotting a large-scale terrorist attack against the United States, federal officials announced on Tuesday.
Abdullah was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres following his conviction on multiple terrorism-related charges, including conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and conspiring to murder U.S. nationals. Prosecutors said his crimes also included plans to commit aircraft piracy, destroy aircraft, and carry out acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
The sentencing followed a jury trial that concluded on November 4, 2024, resulting in guilty verdicts on all major counts.
According to federal authorities, Abdullah trained at a flight school in the Philippines while actively planning to hijack a commercial airplane and crash it into a building in the United States, in an attempt to replicate the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Investigators said Abdullah later admitted to the FBI that he was fully prepared to die in the planned attack.
“Cholo Abdi Abdullah was a highly trained al-Shabaab operative who was dedicated to recreating the horrific September 11 terrorist attacks,” said Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Clayton praised the years-long investigation that disrupted the plot, adding that Abdullah “will now spend life behind bars, where he will not be able to harm innocent Americans.”
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said the sentence reflects the seriousness of the threat Abdullah posed. “We thwarted this plot due to the relentless efforts of U.S. law enforcement and thereby likely saved many innocent lives,” Eisenberg said. “His life sentence is a powerful reminder that those who plot attacks against the United States will be prosecuted and punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia described Abdullah as an al-Qaeda–affiliated terrorist who intended to carry out a 9/11-style attack. He emphasized that the case highlights the continued threat posed by terrorism and reaffirmed the FBI’s commitment to protecting the public through the work of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Federal officials said the investigation underscores the importance of international cooperation and intelligence-sharing in identifying and disrupting terrorist plots before they can be carried out.
