An Islamic hit man who drove a pickup truck into cyclists and pedestrians in New York on Halloween 2017 has been found guilty of murder by a US jury. After closing arguments on Wednesday, the twelve jurors only needed a few hours to reach a unanimous decision, American media reported Thursday.
The verdict will be announced later – the perpetrator even risks the death penalty, which is extremely rare in New York State. The last execution there took place in the 1960s.
A self-proclaimed Islamist killed eight people
The outspoken Islamist from Uzbekistan killed eight people and injured eleven others more than five years ago in the attack in Manhattan. Eventually, the then 29-year-old drove his pickup into a school bus. As he got out, a police officer shot and arrested him. The man later told the FBI that he was proud of what he did.
In their closing plea, the public prosecutor’s office demanded that the suspect be found guilty on all counts. The defense also admitted to committing the crime. The man wanted to die as a martyr. He was charged with 28 counts, including eight murders, 12 attempted murders and supporting the Islamic State terror group. Despite his earlier confession, he had pleaded not guilty.
Source: Krone
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