A member of the Al-Shabaab terrorist group accused of plotting to carry out a September 11 style attack in the United States has been flown to New York to face terrorism charges.
The Kenyan national Cholo Abdi Abdullah was deported on Tuesday from the Philippines where he had been in the custody of local troops since his arrest in July 2019. The Philippines handed him over to US officials on Tuesday.
Abdullah is accused of plotting to hijack a passenger plane and crash it into a building in the United States as part of a conspiracy led by al-Shabaab leaders, Abdullah is alleged to have received pilot training in the Philippines.
He was indicted in six counts filed on Wednesday and is expected to appear before a federal judge in New York.
The charges against him include providing material assistance to a foreign terrorist institution and conspiracy to kill US citizens and plots to hijack and destroy aircraft.