Bronx Man Who Attempted To Travel To Afghanistan In 2019 To Join Taliban Convicted Of Attempting To Provide Material Support For Terrorism

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict last Friday against DELOWAR MOHAMMED HOSSAIN on both counts of the Superseding Indictment, for attempting to provide material support for terrorism and attempting to make a contribution of funds, goods, and services to the Taliban.  United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein presided over the one-week trial. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As the jury found, Delowar Hossain made elaborate preparations to travel to Afghanistan to join the Taliban and kill American troops, and he was intercepted at JFK Airport attempting to board a flight while carrying mountain survival gear and thousands in cash for weapons to achieve his murderous plan.  I commend the excellent work of the Joint Terrorism Task Force to uncover the plot and stop Hossain, who now awaits sentencing for his crimes.”

According to court documents and the evidence at trial:

Beginning in the fall of 2018, HOSSAIN expressed his desire to travel to Afghanistan, join the Taliban, and kill American servicemembers.  Over the next approximately 10 months, HOSSAIN attempted to recruit several other individuals into his plot; attempted to contact at least one individual in Pakistan who was associated with the Taliban; saved at least approximately $10,000, with which he planned to buy weapons to use after he joined the Taliban; and bought survival gear for the mountains of Afghanistan.  During recorded conversations with two confidential sources working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), HOSSAIN consistently reiterated his desire to join the Taliban and kill Americans.  HOSSAIN also took steps to develop a cover story designed to disguise his extremism and evade detection by the FBI, which included traveling to Thailand on his way to Afghanistan.

On July 26, 2019, the FBI arrested HOSSAIN at John F. Kennedy International Airport as he was walking down the jet bridge to a flight that would have taken him to Thailand, the first leg of his planned journey to Afghanistan to join the Taliban.  A subsequent search of HOSSAIN’s person and luggage revealed approximately $10,000 in cash and survival gear, including a machete, an ax, a knife, a tent, sleeping bags rated for freezing temperatures, emergency thermal blankets, personal water filters, and solar power panels.

HOSSAIN, 36, of the Bronx, New York, was convicted of one count of attempting to provide material support for terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and one count of attempting to make a contribution of funds, goods, and services to the Taliban, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by Judge Stein.  Sentencing before Judge Stein is scheduled for January 12, 2022, at 2:30 p.m.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists principally of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, as well as the New York Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Governor Hochul Issues Proclamation Declaring October Disability Employment Awareness Month

 Proclamation Brings Awareness to Disability Employment and Continues New York's Long-Standing Commitment to Workers With Disabilities

Proclamation Available Here; full text of the proclamation is below

 Governor Kathy Hochul today issued a proclamation declaring October as Disability Employment Awareness Month. New York State has a long-standing commitment to supporting inclusive workplaces and has implemented innovative solutions to ensure disabled workers have better access to financial, health, and employment systems. These initiatives have empowered disabled workers to seek financial independence through employment, in turn decreasing unemployment and poverty in the disabled community.

"New York State is committed to ensuring its disabled workers have equal opportunities and are supported in the workplace and beyond," Governor Hochul said. "We are committed to making sure those with disabilities are never overlooked, and that they have fair and quality employment options in this state. Let's celebrate our disabled workers this month and all that they contribute and do every day." 

Throughout the pandemic, New York State has continued its work to support disabled workers, including those impacted by COVID-19 and navigating the long-term effects of the virus. 

New York has also worked to support the disabled community through the Employment First Policy, which works toward decreasing poverty and increasing employment for the disabled community by registering businesses to have formal policies to include disabled people. 

Additionally, Governor Hochul recently announced affordable supportive housing projects in cities such as Brooklyn and Buffalo. These housing developments include supportive services for those with physical and mental disabilities, allowing them to have an affordable place to live and greater accessibility to the disability services they need.

Proclamation

Whereas, New York State joins with the entire nation each October to celebtate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, reaffirming our statewide commitment to supporting environments and workplace policies that recognize the input, the value, and  the skills of all New Yorkers with any disability; and

Whereas, our state also seeks to provide innovations in financial and health care systems, and collaborates with many partners whose common goals are to increase personal and financial independence for all members of the community in order that they may live and thrive to their full potential; and

Whereas, New   York State's government agencies that serve individuals with developmental and/orintellectual disabilities, and individuals with mental health disabilities, promote community living by developing implementation plans that will foster greater independence for individuals with disabilities and the creation of more employment options; and

Whereas, New York State recognizes the importance of ensuring that people with all types of disabilities have full access to employment opportunities and that the State will not  tolerate any form of discrimination based on disability and  recognizes rights for the community as an essential civil rights issue; and

Whereas, New York State's government, community agencies, and advocacy organizations continuously strive to improve coordination across vocational rehabilitation and employment programs to increase employment, cateer advancement, and entrepreneurship opportunities for individuals with disabilities; and

Whereas, the Employment First Policy was established to work with government, community agencies, and advocacy organizations to increase the employment rate of New Yorkers with disabilities receiving services by five percent; decrease the poverty rate of New Yorkers with disabilities receiving services by five percent; and register 100 businesses as having formal policies to include people with disabilities in the workforce development strategies by hiring qualified workers, and through the development of inclusive workforce environments; and

Whereas, entrepreneurs and professionals in various fields - including health, education, vocational rehabilitation, independent living, transportation, and rehabilitation engineering - are working with individuals ·with disabilities and their families, community  leaders, service providers, employers, and organized labor to expand services and support programs that empower people with disabilities to secure employment in their field of interest, including self-employment; and

Whereas, is an honor to join the entire nation in commemorating the contributions of everyone in the community during this this month­ long observance and embrace its theme - "America's Recovery: Powered by Inclusion" - which reflects the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic;

Now, Therefore, I, Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim October 2021 as

DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS MONTH in the Empire State.

Given under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State at the Capitol in the City of Albany this eighth day of October in the year two thousand twenty-one.

Kathy Hochul, Governor

Karen Persichilli Keogh, Secretary to the Governor

Senator Luis Sepulveda - October 2021: Workforce Diversification Project

Dear Neighbor, 

I hope you and your family are healthy and safe. As New Yorkers attempt to return to normalcy, many of our neighbors are still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Workforce Diversification Project was created to help combat the unemployment rate in the Bronx. This resource is a compilation of current job openings, trainings, classes, internships, grants for not-for-profits, webinars, and after school programs. My staff worked hard to create this project to help transition the Bronx from unemployed to employed. Each month, my office will be sharing an updated document with constituents to ensure they receive current job openings and training opportunities.

Please click the link here to access the latest Workforce Diversification Project and make sure to share this resource widely!

If you would like to see an additional opportunity posted in next month's edition, please email the details to jobs@senatorsepulveda.com.

Sincerely,

NYS Senator Luis Sepúlveda

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