Abdullah el-Faisal believed every word in a speech by Osama bin Laden was “like a gem,” and thought images of the coffins of US service members were laughable, New York prosecutors say.
A cleric arrested in his native Jamaica and extradited to New York to face state terrorism charges on accusations of recruiting support for the Islamic State group was sentenced Thursday to 18 years in prison.
After ISIS promised in 2014 that the world would “hear and understand the meaning of terrorism,” fervent western support came from a Jamaican preacher once imprisoned in Britain for urging violence, and later expelled from Kenya by officials fearing he would encourage radicalism
“Daryl Campbell was convicted by his peers of killing a man and shooting three others during a tragic and deadly confrontation in a packed New York City music venue,” said District Attorney Bragg. “In addition to seriously injuring his rival and killing his rival’s bodyguard, Mr. Campbell shot innocent bystanders and put hundreds of other lives at risk. Beyond the pain that still lives with Mr. McPhatter’s loved ones, every death tears at the fabric of our city and communities. We will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits this type of deadly violence.”
“Shaikh Faisal’s advocacy, recruitment and provision of material support to ISIS helped the terrorist organization perform horrific acts, including the murder and kidnapping of innocent people,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Our Counter Terrorism Program worked alongside our NYPD partners to convict Faisal and secure today’s prison sentence. Tragically, Manhattan will continue to be a target for those who want to harm this country. Working with our federal and state law enforcement partners, our office stands at the ready to continue combatting terrorism.”
