NEWARK — Mohamed Osman, 19, of Bayonne, admitted today to lying to officials investigating Mohamed Alessa and Carlos E. Almonte – two New Jersey men recently charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to kill on behalf of a terrorist group in Somalia, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said this week.
Osman pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, before Senior U.S. District Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise, to making materially false statements to investigators in a matter involving international terrorism.
Alessa of North Bergen and Almonte of Elmwood Park were arrested at JFK International Airport in New York in June, where they were allegedly intending to take separate flights to Egypt in order to further travel to Somalia to join the terrorist organization Al Shabaab.
During an interview with members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Osman denied knowing about the two men’s plans and later admitted he had learned about the plans from Alessa.
“Witnesses who attempt to mislead law enforcement officials interfere with the critical work of those who keep us safe,” Fishman said.
Osman faces a potential eight years in jail and a $250,000 fine, and is due for sentencing on Dec. 20.