On 26th February 1993, at approximately 12:18 p.m., an improvised explosive device detonated on the second level of the World Trade Center parking basement. The resulting blast produced a crater, approximately 150 feet in diameter and five floors deep, in the parking basement. The main explosive charge consisted of approximately 1,200 to 1,500 pounds of a homemade fertilizer-based explosive, urea nitrate. Also incorporated in the device and placed under the main explosive charge were three large metal cylinders (tare weight 126 pounds) of compressed hydrogen gas. The investigation following the explosions linked several distinct groups to the bombing and revealed a conspiracy to target other New York City landmarks such as the United Nations building. One of these groups included five defendants who were arrested during a raid at a New York City garage in which law enforcement officials found the five mixing chemicals that were to be used in bombs. The men were charged with conspiring to bomb a building in the United Nations headquarters, the federal office building housing the FBI, and two tunnels under the Hudson River linking New York and New Jersey. From this group, members of Fuqra, the FBI found links to 10 additional suspects and a federal grand jury indicted all 15 on charges that they plotted to bomb the United Nations and other New York City landmarks, and plotted to assassinate Egyptian leaders. Across the board, bail was denied. Fuqra is a radical Islamic sect whose followers are believed to be responsible for a string of crimes in the United States. The FBI benefited from the work of a confidential informant, who taped his meetings with the defendants and aided authorities in the investigation. Another group of individuals, those named in this case, were more directly associated with the World Trade Center bombing were also arrested and named in case number 93-CR-180. Fifteen defendants were eventually indicted in this case and most were tried by jury. The indictment named Ibrahim Elgabrowny, who was convicted on 10 counts ranging from seditious conspiracy, assault on an officer of the United States, and Identification Fraud. Elgabrowny was sentenced to 57 years imprisonment and three years supervised release. Clement Hampton-El was convicted of 3 counts including seditious conspiracy, bombing conspiracy, and attempted bombing. Hampton-El was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment with three years of supervised release. Fares Khallafalla was convicted of 3 counts including seditious conspiracy, bombing conspiracy, and attempted bombing. Khallafalla was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Tarig Elhassan was convicted on 3 counts including seditious conspiracy, bombing conspiracy, and attempted bombing. Elhassan was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Fadil Abdelgani was convicted of 3 counts including seditious conspiracy, bombing conspiracy, and attempted bombing. Abdelgani was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Mohamed Saleh was convicted of 3 counts including seditious conspiracy, bombing conspiracy, and attempted bombing. Salleh was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Victor Alverez was convicted of 5 counts including seditious conspiracy, bombing conspiracy, attempted bombing, interstate transportation of a firearm, and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Alvarez was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release. Matarawy Mohamed Said Saleh pleaded guilty to count 5, bombing conspiracy, and was sentenced to 3 years probation. Earl Grant pleaded guilty to count 1, conspiracy to transport explosives, and received 3 years probation. Omar Ahmad Ali Abdel Rahman was convicted of 5 counts, including seditious conspiracy, solicitation to murder Egyptian Hosni Mubarak, conspiracy to murder Egyptian Hosni Mubarak, solicitation to attack a military installation, and bombing conspiracy. Rahman was sentenced to Life plus 65 years. El Sayyid Nosair was convicted of 9 counts, including seditious conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder of a postal police officer, use of a firearm in the commission of a murder, use of a firearm during an attempted murder, and possession of a firearm. Nosair was sentenced to life plus 15 years of imprisonment. Of special note, Nosair had been charged by state of New York as the gunman who assassinated Rabbi Meir Kahane, the Jewish militant, in Manhattan in 1990. While acquitted of that crime, Nosair, a US Citizen of Egyptian origins, was convicted of weapons charges. Abdo Mohammed Haggag turned states evidence, pleaded guilty to 1 count, and received 3 years of probation.
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