A court in the United States on Monday, March 24, suspended the sentencing of a Kenyan man accused of plotting a 9/11-style attack on an American building.
The 34-year-old was convicted in November last year on six counts, including conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organisation.
He was also found guilty of conspiring to murder US nationals, commit aircraft piracy, destroy aircraft, and commit transnational acts of terrorism.
However, during his sentencing yesterday, Judge Analisa Torres adjourned the case after the man requested an opportunity to find new lawyers to represent him.
The judge had appointed a standby counsel to represent the Kenyan, but the accused said he did not want any representation from the lawyers.
“I was thinking of having new lawyers who will represent me. I don't want these two lawyers to represent me. I want to start fresh,” said the accused.
According to ABC News, Judge Analisa closed the courtroom for a private conference with the Kenyan. When she resumed, the judge stated that the accused would be allowed to get new lawyers.
While the case was adjourned to April 7, 2025, the prosecutors called on the judge to sentence the defendant to life imprisonment rather than a 20-year sentence.
"The defendant's terrorism crimes, combined with his specialised, al-Shabaab-financed pilot skills, which he will have for the rest of his life, underscore that he poses a real and ongoing threat to innocent lives,” noted a prosecutor.
“He remains a skilful, well-educated, and highly trained terrorist who is readily capable of hijacking a commercial aircraft to commit a terrorist act," the prosecution added.
The 34-year-old, a suspected member of the al-Shabaab militia group, was arrested in 2019 after allegedly participating in a plot to hijack a commercial aircraft and crash it into a building in the US.
According to the US Department for Justice, the Kenyan conspired to commit the attack on behalf of Al Shabaab, which is responsible for numerous deadly terrorist attacks.
