Ties to terrorism: Local, Ohio connections to deadly plots increasing

Local ties to a man being held in a deadly New York City truck attack are among the latest Ohio connections to suspected terrorist efforts.

» RELATED:  Preventing lone-wolf terrorist attacks difficult, local experts say

A Miamisburg man’s knowledge of Sayfullo Saipov and Saipov’s ties to Cincinnati area businesses area among several instances linking terrorist suspects to the state.

» RELATED: Miamisburg man knows New York terror suspect as friendly

Kobiljon Matkarov, who has lived in Miamisburg, said he met Saipov in Florida after the terrorist suspect came from Uzbekistan, Matkarov is quoted as saying in the New York Post.

Saipov is accused of driving a rented pickup truck onto a crowded bicycle path Tuesday afternoon and killing eight people in Manhattan.

» RELATED: Manhattan terror suspect has Ohio ties

Saipov, according to ABC News, has lived in Ohio. The suspect has two active business licenses in Ohio, one in Symmes Twp. in suburban Cincinnati. The license for Sayf Motors Inc. was granted in May 2011. A second one, Bright Auto LLC was granted in 2013 in Stow, according to Ohio Secretary of State records.

Other terrorism-related incidents with Ohio ties include:

APRIL 2017
Dayton man accused of supporting terrorist organization

Laith Waleed Alebbini, 27, is seeking to have his detention revoked on a federal charge of attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization.

» RELATED: Terrorism suspect asks for release before trial

The Dayton man arrested in April by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force before starting a trip to Jordan and charged with attempting to help ISIS has asked a federal judge for release before trial.

Federal public defender Thomas Anderson wrote that Alebbini is a legal permanent U.S. resident with no criminal record who has an infant son. Anderson also wrote that the government’s case is deficient because Alebbini was not seeking to travel to place himself under the direction of ISIS.

Alebbini has been called as “perfect ISIS recruit.”

MAY 2015
West Chester man arrested after purchasing assault rifle

Munir Abdulkader, now 22, from West Chester Twp., was arrested May 21, 2015, in Mason by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force after purchasing an assault rifle.

» RELATED: Southwest Ohio men linked to terror plots

Abdulkader was recruited by an ISIS leader in Syria admitted guilt to a host of terror-related charges, including a plan to attack police and military forces in southwest Ohio. He planned to use an AK-47 and Molotov cocktails in the attacks, according to federal court documents.

The plans came after Abdulkader said his cousin had died fighting for ISIS, documents said. Today, Abdulkader is in prison at Estill Federal Corrections Institution in South Carolina with a scheduled release date of Oct. 21, 2032.

JANUARY 2015
Cincinnati man accused of terror plot

Credit: Butler County Jail

Credit: Butler County Jail

Green Twp. native 20-year-old Christopher Lee Cornell was arrested in January 2015 on three federal charges. He was arrested outside a Colerain Twp. gun store moments after he purchased two semi-automatic rifles and 600 rounds of ammo.

» RELATED: West Chester ISIS supporter admits to attack plot

Cornell was sentenced to 30 years in prison in December 2016 for his unfulfilled terror plot to attack the U.S. Capitol and kill President Obama during the 2015 State of the Union address.

In 2014, the FBI tapped an unnamed informant who talked with Cornell on social media and met with him in person. The former high school wrestler began learning about pipe bombs and plotted to put them near the U.S. Capitol, according to federal officials.

» RELATED: Attacks where vehicles have been used as weapons includes Ohio State

The FBI said Cornell posted statements and videos online where he expressed support for ISIS. Today, Cornell is held at the Fairton Federal Corrections Institution in New Jersey with a scheduled release date of March 3, 2041.

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