Pakistan-born brothers plead guilty to NY terror plot

Younger sibling faces 35-year sentence while elder faces 20-year term

MIAMI: Two Pakistan-born brothers accused in a plot to detonate a bomb in New York City, pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges on Thursday in Miami.

Raees Alam Qazi, 22, and Sheheryar Alam Qazi, 32, accused of providing support to al Qaeda to use a weapon of mass destruction were arrested in 2012. The brothers are naturalised US citizens who were living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the time of their arrest.

The younger brother pleaded guilty on Thursday of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to assault a federal employee. He faces a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison. His older brother also pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists as well as conspiring to assault a federal employee. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Sentencing was set for June 5.

"The plot ... was intended to further al Qaeda's message in the United States," said the US attorney for south Florida, Wifredo Ferrer. "This case serves as an example of our commitment to protecting civilians from violent attacks."

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2015.