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Miami, FL - Leader of Sears Tower Plot Sentenced to 13 Years Despite Request From Prosecutor for More |
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News Source: AP
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Miami, FL - A US federal judge sentenced the leader of a plot to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago to 13 years in prison Friday, far less than the 70 years sought by prosecutors.
Narcile Batiste, 35, was the fifth member of a group to be sentenced in the 2006 conspiracy to blow up the skyscraper, the tallest building in the United States. None of the five were sentenced to anywhere near the heavy terms that the prosecution had called for.
Batiste, who is alleged to have planned the attack with an FBI undercover agent who posed as an Al-Qaeda member, claimed he planned to take 50,000 dollars in financing and not carry out the plot.
"I was under a lot of pressure, I couldn't bring food to the table," Batiste said.
A jury in May convicted the group of plotting the attack and others against FBI buildings in the hope of bringing down the US government.
The 442 meter Chicago landmark, once the world's tallest building, has since been renamed the Willis tower.
Defense lawyer Ana Maria Johnes argued that no weapons were found in the case, and there was no evidence of a serious plan.
"This was an aspirational case not a real terrorist`s case... There was not immediate threat to the US," she said.
Defense lawyers had portrayed the FBI sting operation and ensuing arrests in March 2006 as a play for publicity to highlight the government's campaign against terrorism in the United States.
On Wednesday brothers Burson and Rotschild Augustin wept as they were sentenced to six and seven years for their role in the scheme, far lighter than the 30 years called for by the prosecution.
In handing down the sentence against 24-year-old Burson, Judge Joan Lenard said: "Islamic terrorism is one of the most tremendous problems that this country now confronts... this defendant took an oath to Al-Qaeda."
But she added that Augustin's actions might have been affected by other factors. "This was a young man who for whatever reason, perhaps lack of education or lack of direction, came under the influence of Narseal Batiste."
And on Thursday, Patrick Abraham, a 30-year-old from Haiti who was seen as Batiste's right-hand man was jailed for nine years and Stanley Phanor, 34, received an eight-year sentence.
Batiste was convicted on four counts of conspiracy, including providing material support for a foreign terrorist organization, conspiring to provide material support for terrorists, conspiring to blow up buildings with explosives and conspiring to commit seditious acts.
At the time it was built in 1973, the 108-story 1,450 feet (442 meter) Sears Tower was the tallest building in the world, surpassing the World Trade Center towers in New York.
It remains the tallest building in the United States and now is the fifth-tallest freestanding building in the world.
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Read Comments (14) — Post Yours »
1
Nov 21, 2009 at 11:01 PM chusidwb Says:
And how much for rubashkin? Our justice system is a mockery ,every other westernized, civilized country laughs at us.
2
Nov 21, 2009 at 11:38 PM to shaul from monsey Says:
“ And how much for rubashkin? Our justice system is a mockery ,every other westernized, civilized country laughs at us. ”
I wonder what shaul from monsey has to say about.this. Probably something like well "fraud" is worse than conspiring to kill and blowup buildings so you see the justice system does work. But you know what gth shaul because that's justice
3
Nov 21, 2009 at 11:46 PM Yid Says:
“ And how much for rubashkin? Our justice system is a mockery ,every other westernized, civilized country laughs at us. ”
I agree with you. You'll see this over and over again. It is insane.
4
Nov 21, 2009 at 11:45 PM sea gate zaidy Says:
Let him rot there for the rest of his life.
5
Nov 21, 2009 at 11:46 PM Dave Says:
It was government entrapment. The FBI tricked them into doing something they never would have done. And anyway there is no evidence that they were ever actually going to do anything wrong, and they didn't even have any guns.
Wait, they aren't Jewish?
Never mind.
Why didn't they get a longer sentence?
6
Nov 21, 2009 at 11:41 PM Anonymous Says:
13 year sentence (with possible time off for good behavior) and Pollard is already sitting for twenty-five years, HaShem Yerahcaim.
7
Nov 22, 2009 at 12:06 AM karma dude Says:
Anyone who thinks it is a good idea to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York to stand trial should take a good look at this case and remember that history repeats itself.
8
Nov 22, 2009 at 12:12 AM aronk Says:
“ Let him rot there for the rest of his life. ”
everybody knows everybody from seegate is a weirdooooo
9
Nov 22, 2009 at 12:20 AM Dave Says:
“ Anyone who thinks it is a good idea to bring Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York to stand trial should take a good look at this case and remember that history repeats itself. ”
Right. Because the Federal Courts let Zacarias Moussaoui off with a slap on the wrist.
Oh, wait, he's doing Life in Prison without the possibility of parole. Solitary isolation 23 hours a day for the rest of his life, may it be a long one.
10
Nov 22, 2009 at 01:05 AM Anonymous Says:
Rubashkin would have been better off plotting to kill the manager of the bank instead of trying to get bigger loans...
11
Nov 22, 2009 at 07:24 AM Anonymous Says:
It seems that the reason for punishing white collar crime so severely is that the jail terms that amount to a long miserable life should be a deterrent. I'm no lawyer (B"H) but that's what everyone says. In other words, these punishments are meted out to stop others from repeating the crime. Following that logic, the softer we are with terrorism against America, the greater the chances that someone will consider this an option. Have we lost our minds, or are our leaders pandering to these terror movements to make nice to them? keep this question in mind when we next go to the voting booths.
12
Nov 22, 2009 at 09:09 AM Anonymous Says:
“ It seems that the reason for punishing white collar crime so severely is that the jail terms that amount to a long miserable life should be a deterrent. I'm no lawyer (B"H) but that's what everyone says. In other words, these punishments are meted out to stop others from repeating the crime. Following that logic, the softer we are with terrorism against America, the greater the chances that someone will consider this an option. Have we lost our minds, or are our leaders pandering to these terror movements to make nice to them? keep this question in mind when we next go to the voting booths. ”
I agree with the basic idea that a strong and long sentence should deter criminals, but with the terrorists we are dealing with lunatics hell bent on doing their damage no matter what the punishment. With that said long prison terms will atleast show some form of contempt for their actions and get these folks out of our way to deal with others who may follow. What we have here are judges without nerve/guts or whatever words best fit... and shame on them for even thinking that these people should be put back into society within a short period of time. Simply put, a national disgrace!
13
Nov 22, 2009 at 10:58 AM Anonymous Says:
“ It was government entrapment. The FBI tricked them into doing something they never would have done. And anyway there is no evidence that they were ever actually going to do anything wrong, and they didn't even have any guns.
Wait, they aren't Jewish?
Never mind.
Why didn't they get a longer sentence?
”
Fortunately, under the Federal criminal code, the prosecution can appeal a sentence. Let's hope that the prosecutor does appeal.
14
Nov 23, 2009 at 01:20 PM Anonymous Says:
Given the report in this article, the defendants didn't actually do anything. Rabushkin, all other considerations aside, actually performed hundreds of illegal acts.