Mustafa Mousab Alowemer has been sentenced to 208 months (17 years and 3 months) imprisonment by U.S Federal High Court for planning with an international terrorist Organisation, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to Bomb a Nigerian church in Pittsburgh, U.S.
Alowemer’s jail term would be followed by a lifetime of supervised release according to a press statement by the US Department of Justice signed by Assistant Attorney-General Matthew G. Olsen of the DOJ National Security Division on Wednesday.
Alowmeter pleaded guilty in Pennsylvania on 16 September 2021 to one count of trying to assist ISIS with materials and also had intentions to attack the same church
The statement read, “Alowemer admitted to planning a deadly bombing of a Pittsburgh church in the name of ISIS,” said Olsen. “The National Security Division was created to protect the nation from terrorist threats and we remain vigilant against those who would plot violent attacks on US soil in furtherance of an extreme ideology.”
“The defendant’s plan to bomb a Pittsburgh church and risk death or injury to residents in the area in the name of ISIS was thwarted by the extraordinary work of the Pittsburgh Joint Terrorism Task Force,” said US Attorney Cindy K. Chung for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Our office will continue to hold accountable individuals who threaten the safety of our communities.”
“I want to commend the great work of our Joint Terrorism Task Force, and that of their partners and sources, in successfully thwarting a planned terrorist attack in the name of ISIS,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.
“Alowemer’s plan to conduct an attack at a church in Pittsburgh and inspire other ISIS supporters in the United States was unsuccessful thanks to the efforts of law enforcement officials at both the federal and state level. This sentencing demonstrates the commitment we share with our partners to pursuing justice against those who violate our laws and seek to harm innocents in our communities.”
According to court statements, Alowemer had plans to bomb a church located on the north side of Pittsburgh using an explosive device. His said motivation to carry out such an attack on the church was to support ISIS and to encourage other ISIS supporters in the United States to come together and carry out similar acts across the state in the name of ISIS.
Alowemer also targeted the church, which he described as a “Nigerian Christian” church, to “take revenge for our [ISIS] brothers in Nigeria.” Alowemer was aware that numerous people near the church could be killed by the explosion.
With the plan of bombing the church in 2019, Alowemer shared several instructional documents related to the manufacturing and use of explosives and Improvised explosive devices(IEDs) with a fellow ISIS supporter who he said was an FBI employee.
About The Author
