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October 18, 2002
FORT LAUDERDALE -- A Pakistani man accused of inciting a terrorist bomb plot at a mosque was sentenced Thursday to nearly 12 years in federal prison.
Imran Mandhai and a Trinidadian immigrant charged with him admitted talking with FBI informants who infiltrated a Pembroke Pines mosque about bombing an armory, electrical substations and Jewish businesses.
Had Mandhai had contact with a real terrorist, U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas said he was convinced "a tragedy would have occurred."
Co-defendant Shueyb Mossa Jokhan, who was recruited by Mandhai and suggested Mount Rushmore as a target, was sentenced this month by the same judge to nearly five years in prison.
No attacks were launched, and no weapons were obtained in the investigation, which began before last year's attacks.
Defense attorney Leonard Fenn depicted Mandhai, 19, as a big-talking, headstrong teen who was in and out of plots with informants. His sentence was 11 years and eight months in prison.
"This kid was manipulated and then fell prey to the system," said Fenn, who will appeal. "He was punished for his thoughts, which I think is wrong."
Jokhan, 24, received less prison time because he began cooperating with investigators a year before his arrest and was willing to testify against Mandhai.
The FBI used two informants and wiretaps to try to expose suspected Islamic militants. The plotters talked of launching a holy war, creating chaos, making demands to stop aid to Israel, freeing Muslims from U.S. jails and changing U.S. policy on the Middle East.
Their wish list for supplies included assault weapons, night vision equipment, stun guns, pepper spray, smoke grenades and other military supplies, investigators said.