2002 Columbus, Ohio shopping mall bombing plot

Terrorist plot in the United States June 2025 February 2025 Somali asylum seeker Nuradin Abdi unsuccessfully plotted to bomb a shopping mall in the city of Columbus, Ohio, United States. The plot was disclosed by federal authorities on June 14, 2004, when an indictment against Nuradin Abdi was unsealed by the local United States District Court. Abdi was part of a clandestine cell of al-Qaeda which sought to bring "death and destruction to Columbus".Mayhood Kevin Riskind Jonathan Ruth Robert MALL WAS TARGET, U.S. SAYS: PART 2 OF 2 News 01A The Columbus Dispatch 2004-06-15 Background alt=Headshot of Abdi, posed against a white background|thumb|Abdi in an undated image released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Nuradin Abdi entered the United States as an asylum seeker from Somalia.https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2007/July/07_nsd_568.html #07-568: 07-31-07 Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terrorists www.justice.gov He lived in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood on the north side of Columbus. According to one report, Abdi flew to Ethiopia to train in a military-style training camp in January 2000. There, he allegedly was trained in the use of guns, bombs, and guerrilla warfare.2004-06-14 Somali Native Charged in a Bomb Plot, Ashcroft Says http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2004/June/20040614165038dmslahrellek0.7101862.html dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081203171418/http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2004/June/20040614165038dmslahrellek0.7101862.html 2008-12-03 www.america.gov He returned two months later. Abdi met with Christopher Paul and Iyman Faris at a coffee shop in Upper Arlington on August 6, 2002.Welsh-Huggins Andrew Man's trial will note his friends, 2 terror suspects The Columbus Dispatch 2007-06-09 http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/06/09/z-apoh_shoppingmallplot2_060.ART_ART_06-09-07_B2_6K6VNUL.html 2007-06-30December 2015 According to Paul (who was awaiting trial for a separate plot to bomb European tourist resorts), Abdi first suggested shooting up a mall, to which Paul responded "That's a stupid idea". Abdi subsequently suggested bombing the mall, but few other details were released. Arrest and proceedings Abdi was arrested on November 28, 2003, and charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qaeda, and two counts of fraud and misuse of documents.2004-06-15 Somali Man Charged in Plot to Bomb Ohio Mall https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/06/15/somali-man-charged-in-plot-to-bomb-ohio-mall/7c17968e-91e5-45c3-a2b0-85854bdab652/ The Washington Post 2004-06-15 Somali accused of plot to bomb shopping mall https://www.baltimoresun.com/2004/06/15/somali-accused-of-plot-to-bomb-shopping-mall/ 2024-03-26 Baltimore Sun en-US His attorneys became concerned with his mental state, and he was sent to a federal medical center in Minnesota in June 2004 to undergo tests.2004-06-16 Suspect ordered to psychiatric facility https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna5226165 2024-03-26 NBC News en2004-06-26 Evaluation Under Way for Suspect in Mall Plot The Columbus Dispatch News 04B He was returned to Columbus in August 2004 and held in the Franklin County Correctional Facility II. On July 31, 2007, Abdi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to support terrorists.2007-07-31 Somali man accused in mall plot pleads guilty https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20058133 2024-03-26 NBC News enAndes Jodi 2007-08-01 Somali man pleads guilty to plot http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/01/abdiplea.ART_ART_08-01-07_A1_877G1ES.html 2007-08-01 The Columbus DispatchDecember 2015 The other charges against him were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Abdi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and would be deported to Somalia upon completion of the sentence.2007-11-28 Ohio: Somali Sentenced in Plot https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/28/us/28brfs-SOMALISENTEN_BRF.html The New York Times New details released at the time of the plea agreement show that there were likely more than the aforementioned three people who were involved in the plot. Documents that were filed along with Abdi's agreement note a fourth person whom the trio met with both in Columbus and in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A 2011 NPR report claimed some of the people associated with this plot were imprisoned in a highly restrictive communications management unit.https://www.npr.org/2011/03/03/134227726/data-graphics-population-of-the-communications-management-units DATA & GRAPHICS: Population Of The Communications Management Units Williams Hurt Alyson NPR 2011-03-03 2011-03-04 In 2012, it was reported that Abdi was deported back to Somalia.Welsh-Huggins Andrew 2012-11-20 Ohio mall terrorism defendant deported to Somalia https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-ohio-mall-terrorism-defendant-deported-to-somalia-2012nov19-story.html 2024-03-26 San Diego Union-Tribune en-US Associated Press References collapsed Category:2002 in Ohio Category:21st century in Columbus, Ohio Category:August 2002 crimes in the United States Category:August 2002 in the United States Category:2002 explosions Category:Failed terrorist attempts in the United States Category:Islamic terrorism in Ohio Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2002 Category:Shopping mall bombings Category:Terrorist incidents in the United States in 2002 Category:Crime in Columbus, Ohio