Jazmin Li
In 2007, four individuals were charged with conspiring to bomb John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. The defendants, including a former member of the Guyanese parliament and a former airport cargo worker, planned to blow up the airport's jet fuel supply tanks and pipelines. The plot was foiled by law enforcement officials, who were monitoring the group through an informant and extensive surveillance. The suspects were arrested and charged, preventing a potential attack on one of the busiest airports in the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 2007 |
| Location | John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Queens, New York |
| Plot | To blow up jet fuel supply tanks and pipelines |
| Suspects | Russell Defreitas, Abdul Kadir, Kareem Ibrahim, Abdel Nur |
| Suspect Details | Defreitas was a former airport cargo worker at JFK; Kadir was a former member of the Guyanese National Assembly; Ibrahim was a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago; Nur was a citizen of Guyana |
| Outcome | Plot was foiled by law enforcement; suspects were charged with conspiring to attack JFK airport |
| Motive | Defreitas and Kadir's anti-American sentiment, desire to cause economic damage, and connections to Islamist terrorist groups |
| Surveillance | Informant recorded conversations with Defreitas and monitored the plot; extensive surveillance of targets, including satellite photographs |
| Law Enforcement Response | Undercover law enforcement official recruited to the terrorist cell; investigation led by multiple agencies including the FBI, NYPD, and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department |
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What You'll Learn
Four individuals charged with conspiring to attack JFK airport
Four individuals, including a former member of the Guyanese parliament and a former cargo worker at JFK airport, were charged with conspiring to attack John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York. The defendants, Russell Defreitas, Abdul Kadir, Kareem Ibrahim, and Abdel Nur, planned to blow up the airport's major jet-fuel supply tanks and pipelines, which are located in densely populated areas of Queens, New York.
In a recorded conversation with an informant, Defreitas exulted over JFK airport's symbolic importance, stating, "Anytime you hit Kennedy, it is the most hurtful thing to the United States. To hit John F. Kennedy, wow... They love JFK – he's like the man. If you hit that, the whole country will be in mourning. It's like you can kill the man twice." Defreitas also compared the potential impact of the attack to the destruction of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, suggesting that it could "destroy the economy of America for some time."
The plot was foiled by law enforcement officials, who were monitoring the conspiracy from its early stages through an informant. The informant recorded numerous conversations with the defendants, including one in which Defreitas predicted that the attacks would result in the destruction of "the whole of Kennedy" and that only a few people would survive. The defendants had connections to radical groups in South America and the Caribbean, including the senior leadership of Jamaat Al Muslimeen ("JAM"), a group responsible for a deadly coup attempt in Trinidad in 1990.
The charges against the four individuals demonstrate the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to prevent terrorist attacks and protect the safety of the public.
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Plot to blow up jet fuel supply tanks and pipelines
In 2007, four individuals were charged with conspiring to attack John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) by blowing up its major jet-fuel supply tanks and pipelines. The alleged plot was foiled when an undercover law enforcement official infiltrated the homegrown terrorist cell. The suspects were Russell Defreitas, a United States citizen and native of Guyana who was the alleged ringleader and former airport cargo worker at JFK; Abdul Kadir, a citizen of Guyana and former member of the Guyanese National Assembly; Kareem Ibrahim, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago; and Abdel Nur, a citizen of Guyana.
In a recorded conversation, Defreitas allegedly told an informant:
> Anytime you hit Kennedy, it is the most hurtful thing to the United States. To hit John F. Kennedy, wow.... They love JFK – he's like the man. If you hit that, the whole country will be in mourning. It's like you can kill the man twice.
Defreitas also compared the plot to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, stating, "even the Twin Towers can't touch it," and adding that "this can destroy the economy of America for some time." In another recorded conversation following one of the surveillance missions to JFK airport, Defreitas predicted that the attacks would result in the destruction of "the whole of Kennedy," and that because of the location of the targeted fuel pipelines, part of Queens would explode.
The defendants used their connections to present their terrorist plot to radical groups in South America and the Caribbean, including senior leadership of Jamaat Al Muslimeen (“JAM”), which was responsible for a deadly coup attempt in Trinidad in 1990. An informant working with law enforcement agents began monitoring the plot at its early stages and made numerous recorded conversations with the defendants. No explosives had been purchased.
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The role of informants in foiling the plot
The role of informants was crucial in foiling the plot to bomb John F. Kennedy International Airport. An informant working with law enforcement agents began monitoring the plot in its early stages and made numerous recorded conversations with the defendants. These recordings provided valuable insights into the plans and intentions of the conspirators.
In one recorded conversation, Russell Defreitas, the alleged ringleader and a former airport worker at JFK, exalted over the symbolic importance of targeting JFK Airport. He believed that attacking a location associated with John F. Kennedy would cause significant emotional harm to the United States. Defreitas even compared the potential impact of the attack to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, claiming that "even the Twin Towers can't touch it."
The informant also captured Defreitas predicting the devastating consequences of the attack, including the destruction of "the whole of Kennedy" and parts of Queens due to the targeted fuel pipelines. This information helped law enforcement understand the seriousness and potential impact of the plot.
Additionally, the informant's recordings provided evidence of the defendants' connections to radical groups in South America and the Caribbean, including the senior leadership of Jamaat Al Muslimeen (JAM). This group had previously been responsible for a deadly coup attempt in Trinidad in 1990. The involvement of informants allowed law enforcement to identify the extent of the plot and the potential for it to cause widespread destruction.
The use of informants in this case demonstrates the critical role they play in counterterrorism efforts. By working closely with law enforcement, informants can provide early warnings, gather intelligence, and help build a case against potential terrorists. In this instance, the informant's contributions were instrumental in preventing a major attack and ensuring the safety of the public.
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The symbolic importance of JFK airport to the terrorists
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) is one of the busiest airports in the United States, located in one of the most densely populated areas in the northeast. It is the sixth-busiest airport in the country and the busiest international commercial airport in North America. Over 90 airlines operate from JFK Airport, with nonstop or direct flights to destinations on all six inhabited continents.
In 2007, four individuals, including a former member of the parliament of Guyana and a former airport cargo worker at JFK, were charged with conspiring to attack JFK by planting explosives to blow up the airport's major jet-fuel supply tanks and pipelines. In recorded conversations, one of the defendants, DEFREITAS, exulted over JFK airport's symbolic importance, saying, "Anytime you hit Kennedy, it is the most hurtful thing to the United States... If you hit that, this whole country will be in mourning. It's like you can kill the man twice." DEFREITAS also compared the plot to the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, stating that the economic impact of attacking JFK "can destroy the economy of America for some time."
The plot to attack JFK airport highlights the symbolic significance that the airport holds for terrorists. By targeting a location associated with the late President John F. Kennedy, who was beloved by many Americans, the terrorists aimed to inflict not only physical damage but also emotional harm on the nation. JFK Airport's status as a major international travel hub, critical infrastructure, and symbol of American aviation and progress made it an attractive target for those seeking to cause widespread destruction and disruption. The plot's potential for devastation was heightened by the airport's location in a densely populated area and its proximity to other critical infrastructure.
The conspirators' choice of JFK Airport as their target demonstrates their intention to maximize the impact of their attack, both in terms of physical destruction and symbolic significance. By striking a location bearing the name of a revered former president, the terrorists sought to inflict emotional pain and create a sense of national mourning. The plot's focus on disabling critical infrastructure, such as fuel tanks and control towers, further underscores the strategic and symbolic importance of JFK Airport to the terrorists.
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The investigation and conviction of the terrorists
In 2007, four individuals were charged with conspiring to attack John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) by blowing up the airport's major jet-fuel supply tanks and pipelines. The plot was foiled by law enforcement before it could be carried out, and the four individuals were arrested and charged. The defendants were Russell Defreitas, a United States citizen and native of Guyana who worked at the airport; Abdul Kadir, a citizen of Guyana and former member of the Guyanese National Assembly; Kareem Ibrahim, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago; and Abdel Nur, a citizen of Guyana.
The investigation of the plot involved an informant working with law enforcement agents who monitored the plot from its early stages and made numerous recorded conversations with the defendants. In these recorded conversations, Defreitas discussed the symbolic importance of attacking JFK airport and predicted that the attacks would result in the destruction of "the whole of Kennedy" and parts of Queens due to the location of the targeted fuel pipelines. The informant also recorded conversations with Kadir and Defreitas, where they discussed the need to disable the airport control tower to hinder airport security from monitoring the fuel tank locations.
The defendants used their connections to present their terrorist plot to radical groups in South America and the Caribbean, including the senior leadership of Jamaat Al Muslimeen ("JAM"), a group responsible for a deadly coup attempt in Trinidad in 1990. Defreitas and Kadir were longtime associates of JAM leaders, and Kareem Ibrahim was preparing to send an emissary overseas to present the plan to other extremists. The investigation also revealed that the men had named the plot "Chicken Farm" and had conducted extensive surveillance of the targets, including the use of satellite photographs. However, no explosives had been purchased at the time of their arrest.
The four individuals were convicted of conspiracy to launch an attack at JFK Airport. The conviction was the result of the combined efforts of various law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the New York Police Department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, and the New York State Department of Homeland Security. The successful foiling of the plot demonstrated the commitment of law enforcement to stop terrorist plots before they become terrorist acts and to secure the safety of the public.
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Frequently asked questions
Four individuals were charged with conspiring to attack JFK airport by planting explosives to blow up the airport's fuel supply tanks and pipelines. The plot was foiled by law enforcement, and the individuals were captured.
The four individuals captured were Russell Defreitas, Abdul Kadir, Kareem Ibrahim, and Abdel Nur.
No, the captured terrorists were part of a larger terrorist cell. They had connections to radical groups in South America and the Caribbean, including senior leadership of Jamaat Al Muslimeen (“JAM”).
Russell Defreitas, the alleged ringleader, felt that arms and missiles were being shipped to Israel to harm Muslims. He also emphasized the symbolic importance of attacking JFK airport, stating that it would be "the most hurtful thing to the United States."
