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Sami Osmakac

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Sami Osmakac
BornDecember 28, 1986[6]
Lubizde, Kosovo[7]
NationalityKosovo, United States
Other namesAbdul Samia[9]
OccupationUnemployed
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)[6]
Criminal statusIn prison
MotiveRetaliation for wrongdoings against Muslims[1]
Conviction(s)Attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction
Possession of an unregistered automatic firearm[2][3]
Criminal chargeOne count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction
One count of possession of an unregistered automatic firearm[4]
Penalty40 years in prison, and forfeiture of property used to facilitate offenses[5]

Sami Osmakac is an Albanian-American convicted by a jury on June 10, 2014, following a criminal trial in U.S. District Court, of plotting terrorist attacks in and near Tampa, Florida.[11][12][13]

Background

Osmakac, an Albanian and a naturalized U.S. citizen, was arrested January 7, 2012, for his plot. He intended to bomb nightclubs, detonate a car bomb, fire an assault rifle, wear an explosive belt in a crowded area, and take hostages.[11][12]

Osmakac recorded an eight-minute video prior to his arrest describing the planned attack as retribution for wrongs committed against Muslims. The Federal Bureau of Investigation claimed Osmakac bought explosives and firearms from an undercover agent. He had been under investigation since September 2011, when a confidential source informed federal authorities that Osmakac walked into a business seeking al-Qaeda flags.[11][12]

Osmakac appeared in videos posted to an extremist YouTube nom de guerre "Abu Samia", in which he condemned other religions and secular Muslims.[14] Osmakac was kicked out of two mosques in the Tampa Bay area and reported to the FBI by a Muslim acquaintance.[15] The FBI then set up a sting operation, supplying Osmakac, who could not even afford to fix the car he intended to drive, with money to purchase weapons and a video camera stolen from Best Buy to make his video.[16]

During the trial, Osmakac's defense argued that the FBI took advantage of his radical Islamic beliefs and mental illness to entrap him into trying to commit a crime. However, entrapment is "not just providing the opportunity...[the defense] have to show the government pressured or induced or actually created the actual intent to commit the crime". On November 5, 2014, Osmakac was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The case is currently under appeal.[16][17]

References

  1. ^ "Bomb plot suspect rails against Christians, Jews - KTAR.com". Associated Press. Bonneville International. KTAR News. January 11, 2012. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  2. ^ Stein, Letitia (November 5, 2014). "Florida man sentenced to 40 years for role in foiled bomb plot". Reuters. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  3. ^ "Pinellas Man Found Guilty Of Attempted Use Of Weapon Of Mass Destruction | USAO-MDFL | Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida. June 10, 2014.
  4. ^ "Florida Resident Charged with Plotting to Bomb Locations in Tampa". Federal Bureau of Investigation. January 9, 2012.
  5. ^ "Pinellas Man Sentenced to 40 Years' Imprisonment for Attempted Use of Weapon of Mass Destruction". FBI. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 5 November 2014. Retrieved May 2016. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. ^ a b c "Sami Osmakac Mugshot | 01/09/12 Florida Arrest". florida.arrests.org. Arrests.org. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  7. ^ "Family: Tampa terror suspect "quiet and fun"". Associated Press. CBS Interactive Inc. www.cbsnews.com.
  8. ^ Sami Osmakac. "Bureau of Prisons - Inmate Locator". www.bop.gov. U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons.
  9. ^ "Tampa Man Charged with Plotting Attacks". ADL. Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  10. ^ Cagaptay, Soner (January 27, 2010). "Muslims vs. Islamists". www.washingtoninstitute.org. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  11. ^ a b c Lush, Tamara (January 9, 2012). "Feds Charge Ex-Kosovo Man in Fla. Islamic Plot". associated press. Salon Media Group, Inc. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c Duell, Mark (January 9, 2012). "'Why not die the Islamic way?': U.S. immigrant 'planned to cause havoc with car bomb, machine guns and explosives belt'". The Daily Mail. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  13. ^ Phillips, Anna M. (June 10, 2014). "Jury finds Sami Osmakac guilty of terrorism". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
  14. ^ "Tampa Man Charged For Plotting Attacks - Osmakac's Video Messages". Anti-Defamation League. January 11, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  15. ^ Phillips, Anna M. (May 27, 2014). "Sami Osmakac, accused of terrorism, continues refusal to stand for judge". Tampa Bay Times.
  16. ^ a b Silvestrini, Elaine (March 21, 2015). "Agents' chatter in Osmakac sting skirts line between protection, entrapment". The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  17. ^ Phillips, Anna M.; Martin, John; Peterson, Zachary (November 5, 2014). "Sami Osmakac gets 40 years in prison for plotting terrorist attacks in Tampa". Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
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