New York man sentenced to 9 years for planning attack on behalf of Islamic State group

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York man accused of plotting an attack on behalf of the Islamic State group in 2019 was sentenced to nine years in prison by a federal judge Tuesday.

Awais Chudhary, 25, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan and living in the New York City borough of Queens, pleaded guilty in June to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.

Prosecutors said Chudhary was planning a knife or bomb attack on targets in Queens, including pedestrian bridges over Grand Central Parkway and the Flushing Bay Promenade. According to court documents, Chudhary was radicalized after watching and sharing violent content, including knife attacks and beheadings, for more than 16 months.

“After consuming violent ISIS propaganda for more than a year, the defendant took real world steps to carry out a lethal terrorist attack in Queens, including scouting the location of his attack and analyzing when it would be the most crowded so he could inflict maximum slaughter,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said in a statement.

Chudhary told undercover agents he wanted to record the bloodshed on video in hopes of inspiring others to commit attacks, according to court documents, and he was arrested as he tried to pick up a tactical knife, mask and other gear ordered online.

“Chudhary’s plan to cause terror was stopped because of the women and men in law enforcement — and today, our justice system is holding him accountable,” Jessica S. Tisch, commissioner of the New York City Police Department, said in a statement.

An email was sent to Chudhary’s public defender seeking comment.