EXAMINER, August 8, 2010 – Two suspects were convicted in Manhattan for a terrorism conspiracy that revealed ties to Iran and Venezuela.
Following a six-week jury trial, Russell Defreitas, 67, a/k/a “Mohammed,” and Abdul Kadir, 58, a/k/a Aubrey Michael Seaforth, were convicted Friday in federal court in New York City of conspiring to attack John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, by exploding fuel tanks and the fuel pipeline under the airport.
According to documents obtained by National Association of Chiefs of Police’s Terrorism Committee, the defendants believed their attack would cause extensive damage to the airport and to New York’s economy, as well as the loss of numerous lives.
Both defendants face sentences of up to life imprisonment. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 15, 2010.
The evidence at trial established that Defreitas, a naturalized United States citizen from Guyana, originated the idea to attack JFK Airport and its fuel tanks and pipelines by drawing on his prior experience working at the airport as a cargo handler. Beginning in 2006, Defreitas recruited others to join the plot, including Abdul Kadir and Abdel Nur, during multiple trips to Guyana and Trinidad.
Between trips, Defreitas engaged in video surveillance of JFK Airport, and transported the footage back to Guyana to show to his co-conspirators. Nur pleaded guilty before trial to supporting the plot and faces a sentence of up to 15 years. A fourth member of the plot, Kareem Ibrahim, faces trial on the same charges as Defreitas and Kadir.1
According to the trial evidence, the plot members also attempted to enlist support for the plot from prominent international terrorist groups and leaders, as well as the government of Iran, including Abu Bakr, leader of the Trinidadian militant group Jamaat Al Muslimeen, and Adnan El Shukrijumah, an al-Qaeda leader.
In February 2007, Defreitas recruited Kadir to join the plot because Kadir, a former member of the Guyanese parliament, was an engineer and had connections with militant groups in Iran and Venezuela. During cross-examination at trial, Kadir admitted that he regularly passed information to Iranian authorities and believed himself bound to follow fatwas from Iranian religious leaders
Defreitas was arrested in New York on June 2, 2007. Kadir was arrested in Trinidad aboard a plane headed to Venezuela, en route to Iran. Ibrahim and Nur were also arrested in Trinidad. All three were subsequently extradited to the United States.
The specific charges Defreitas and Kadir were convicted of are: Conspiracy to Attack a Public Transportation System; Conspiracy to Destroy a Building by Fire or Explosive; Conspiracy to Attack Aircraft and Aircraft Materials; Conspiracy to Destroy International Airport Facilities; and Conspiracy to Attack a Mass Transportation Facility. Defreitas was also convicted of Surveillance of a Mass Transportation Facility.
“The defendants intended to send a message by killing Americans and destroying the New York City economy,” stated United States Attorney Loretta Lynch.
According to intelligence sources, Venezuela is host to a number of Iranian agents and members of terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah.

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a columnist for The Examiner (examiner.com) and New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.