Four men, who became known as the "Newburgh Four," were caught
up in a scheme in 2009 to attack the synagogues and community
center, and launch stinger missiles at military aircraft, driven
by what the judge describes as overzealous FBI agents and an
"unsavory" confidential informant.
U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon had already ordered the
three other men in the group - Onta Williams, David Williams and
Laguerra Payen - to be released last July.
The fourth man, James Cromitie, described as the ringleader by
the government, was ordered released by the judge on Friday.
The judge called the case "notorious" and described the men as
"hapless" petty criminals who were "easily manipulated" by the
government in a sting operation.
Cromitie's lawyer was quoted in the New York Times as saying the
judge's order was "at least some kind of vindication for what we
believe was a tragic miscarriage of justice."
The four men were convicted of terrorism charges in 2010 and
sentenced to 25 years in prison. Friday's order by the judge
asked for Cromitie's sentence to be cut to time served plus 90
days. It did not reverse the conviction.
Judge McMahon said that Cromitie was a small-time "grifter" who
was broke and unemployed when he was enlisted in the FBI-driven
plot and provided fake bombs to plant in exchange for $250,000
in the "jihadist mission." Cromitie enlisted the other three men
to serve as lookouts, according to the judge.
"The three men were recruited so that Cromitie could conspire
with someone," the judge said. "The real lead conspirator was
the United States. .... The FBI invented the conspiracy;
identified the targets; manufactured the ordnance."
Cromitie was recruited by longtime FBI informant Shahed Hussain,
whom the judge called a "villain." The judge wrote that
Hussain's role was to infiltrate mosques and spot people who
could be potential extremists.
Hussain offered "heavenly and earthly rewards, including as much
as $250,000" to Cromitie "if he would plan and participate in,
and find others to participate in, a jihadist 'mission,'"
according to the judge.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Sandra
Maler)
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