An appeals court yesterday upheld the convictions of two Islamic terrorists who participated in a plot to bomb Kennedy Airport.
The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in New York declined to throw out a 2010 jury verdict against Russell Defreitas, 69, and Abdul Kadir, 61, who were found guilty of conspiracy to carry out acts of terrorism.
The court also upheld the life sentences for the men, both from Guyana, saying neither provided a persuasive argument the prison terms were unreasonable in light of their convictions of conspiring to explode pipelines and jet-fuel tanks at the airport.
“The gravity of the crimes for which they were convicted easily justifies the life sentences that were imposed,” Judge John Walker wrote for a three-judge panel.
The defendants’ lawyers had no comment on the ruling.