When four would-be bombers actually planted “explosives” outside two Bronx synagogues, they sealed their fate, defense lawyers and prosecutors said yesterday.
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In past high-profile terror cases, authorities busted plotters right after they bought doctored weapons from government informants. Then they had a very tough time trying to prove the suspects actually planned to use them.
“Our defendants received weapons, M-16s and AK-47s that were disabled, and then were immediately arrested, which [let us] argue that the men bought them for sporting purposes,” said Michael Reilly, attorney for Shain Duka, who was charged with plotting with a government informant to shoot up Fort Dix, NJ.
Duka was convicted of conspiracy charges but acquitted of attempted murder.
The fact that the Bronx suspects showed they were ready to actually kill people even makes an entrapment defense moot, said Todd Harrison, who successfully prosecuted Shahawar Matin Siraj for plotting with a police informant to bomb Herald Square.
“It’s extremely effective, because it shows they are ready, willing and able,” he said.
Richard Houlihan represented one of the “Liberty City Six” in Miami who conspired with an informant to bomb the Sears Tower and FBI offices.
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The FBI didn’t sell them weapons; all it did was have its informant discuss the plot with them, he said. The defendants argued that all they were trying to do was scam the informant.
It took three trials to convict five of the six. Houlihan’s client was acquitted.