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The Columbus Shopping Mall Bombing Plot was a plan to blow up an unnamed shopping mall in the city of Columbus in the American state of Ohio. The plot was disclosed by federal authorities on June 14, 2004 when an indictment against Nuradin Abdi was unsealed by the local United States district court. Abdi was part of a clandestine cell of al-Qaida which sought to bring "death and destruction" to Columbus".^[1]

Background

Abdi

Nuradin Abdi entered the United States Illegally in 1999 from Somalia.^[2] He lived in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood on the north side of the city. According to one report, Abdi flew to Ethiopia to train in a military-style training camp in January 2000. There he allegedly was trained in the use of guns, guerrilla warfare, and bombs.^[3] He returned two months later. Abdi met with Christopher Paul and Iyman Faris at a coffee shop in Upper Arlington on August 6, 2002.^[4] According to Paul (who is awaiting trial for a separate plot to bomb European tourist resorts), Abdi first suggested shooting up a mall. Paul responded saying "that's a stupid idea". Abdi subsequently suggested bombing the mall, but few other details have been released.

Abdi was arrested on November 28, 2003 and charged with Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, Conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qaeda, and two counts of fraud and misuse of documents. His attorneys became concerned with his mental state, and he was sent to a federal medical center in Minnesota in June 2004 to undergo tests.^[5] He was returned to Columbus in August, and continues to be held in the Franklin County Jail. On 31 July 2007, Abdi plead guilty to one count of conspiring to support terrorists.^[6] Because of the plea, the other charges against him were dropped. He will serve 10 years in jail, and will be deported to Somalia after that.

New details released at the time of the plea agreement show that there were likely more than the aforementioned three people who were involved in the plot. Documents that were filed along with Abdi's agreement note a fourth person whom the trio met with both in Columbus and in Pittsburgh.

References

1. ^ Mayhood, Kevin; Jonathan Riskind and Robert Ruth (2004-06-15). "MALL WAS TARGET, U.S. SAYS: PART 2 OF 2" (in English). The Columbus Dispatch. pp. News 01A.  
2. ^ Mayhood, Kevin; Jodi Andes and John Futty (2007-04-13). "Muslim convert plotted with foreigners in town, unsealed indictment says" (in English). The Columbus Dispatch. http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/04/13/newterror.html?print=yes. Retrieved 2007-06-30.  
3. ^ Somali Native Charged in a Bomb Plot, Ashcroft Says, 2004-06-14, http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=June&x=20040614165038dmslahrellek0.7101862&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html, retrieved 2007-06-30  
4. ^ Welsh-Huggins, Andrew (2007-06-09). "Man's trial will note his friends, 2 terror suspects" (in English). The Columbus Dispatch. http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/09/z-apoh_shoppingmallplot2_060.ART_ART_06-09-07_B2_6K6VNUL.html. Retrieved 2007-06-30.  
5. ^ "EVALUATION UNDER WAY FOR SUSPECT IN MALL PLOT" (in English). The Columbus Dispatch. 2004-06-26. pp. News 04B.  
6. ^ Andes, Jodi (2007-08-01). "Somali man pleads guilty to plot" (in English). The Columbus Dispatch. http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/01/abdiplea.ART_ART_08-01-07_A1_877G1ES.html. Retrieved 2007-08-01.