Two New Jersey wannabe jihadists busted for allegedly trying to fly to Somalia to join a terror group appeared today in federal courtroom in Newark and ordered to remain in custody without bail.
Mohamed Mahmood Alessa, 20, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 24, are accused of trying to join al-Shabab, which was designated by the US as a terrorist group in 2008.
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The men, wearing wrist and ankle shackles and sporting long black beards, were informed that they would face charges of conspiring to kill, maim and kidnap persons outside the United States by joining al-Shabab.
Alessa and Almonte spoke only to say they understood the charges against them. They did no enter pleas.
During their appearance in Newark court, Alessa, who had bruises or scratches on his face, smiled broadly during the proceedings, and mouthed words to his parents. He also made a fist with his right hand and pounded his chest above his heart toward them.
Asked about the marks on Alessa’s face by reporters, US Attorney Paul Fishman would only say “they both resisted arrest” when apprehended at Kennedy Airport on Saturday night, where there trying to board separate flights to Cairo, Egypt.
Fishman also was asked if a relative of the men had tipped off authorities that they had been plotting to become terrorists.
The prosecutor said “certain family members were providing certain information.”
Although Alessa’s parents were in court, Almonte’s dad, Pedro, shunned the proceeding.
“I’m not supporting anything that does something wrong,” Pedro Almonte told reporters outside his home prior to the hearing. “I don’t want to talk to anybody, even him,” Pedro said about his son.
“I’m a hard-working guy. I have two or thee jobs in my life never been in trouble,” he said.
Pedro also said “I’m going to court tomorrow to testify,” but did not elaborate on whether that would be before a federal grand jury in his son’s case.
Fishman, the prosecutor, called the NYPD undercover cop who helped make the case against the men “exemplary” “expert” and “very professional.”
“We’ve had terrific cooperation from both Commissioner [Ray] Kelly and the NYPD,” Fishman said.
Both remained in custody pending a bail hearing on Thursday. If convicted, the two men could face life in prison.
The feds claim they recorded Alessa and Almonte talking about attacking Americans.
Alessa allegedly said he would outdo Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist accused of killing 13 people last year at a military base in Fort Hood, Texas.
Not to be outdone, Almonte — a native of the Dominican Republic who had converted to Islam and started calling himself Omar — allegedly said he wanted to send Americans home “in caskets.”
“Any Muslim that gets . . . even a 10 percent out of 100 chance of [waging jihad] should risk it . . . because [it’s] better than sitting back here and working like a dog . . . and being somebody’s puppy,” Almonte seethed, according to the criminal complaint.
Almonte also allegedly boasted, “I’m gonna get a gun. I’m the type of person to use it anytime . . . I’ll have more bodies on it than . . . the hairs on my beard. You know what I’m saying? It’s already enough that you don’t worship Allah, so . . . that’s a reason for you to die.”
Alessa, of North Bergen, and Almonte, of Elmwood Park, are American citizens. Alessa was born in the United States and is of Palestinian descent. Almonte is a naturalized citizen.
With AP