Sayfullo Saipov Wiki, Biography
On Thursday, January 26, Islamic extremist Sayfullo Saipov was recently convicted of murder and attempted murder, among other charges related to the 2017 New York City terror attack that killed eight people.
The defendant was also found guilty of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and the destruction of a motor vehicle. After a day of deliberations, a 12-person jury in Manhattan found Sayfullo Saipov guilty of the charges against him.
In what is considered the worst act of terrorism in New York City since 9/11, Saipov, an Uzbek immigrant, drove a rented Home Depot truck down a bike lane, intentionally killing eight bystanders. The victims included Rutgers University graduate Darren Drake, a group of five friends visiting Argentina, and a 31-year-old woman from Belgium. Twelve others were injured.
The jury is yet to decide the fate of the perpetrator: life imprisonment or the death penalty. If they decide the latter, Sayfullo Saipov would become the first person to receive a federal death sentence under the Joe Biden administration. The then US president, Donald Trump, advocated the death penalty for the defendant in 2017 in a tweet.
Islamic State-inspired assassin Sayfullo Saipov said he wanted to die a martyr
On Halloween 2017, the then-29-year-old New Jersey resident rented a Home Depot truck and drove through a bike lane and pedestrian sidewalk in New York City, killing eight and injuring twelve. The rampage stopped only when Sayfullo Saipov’s truck collided with a bus.
According to prosecutors, after getting out of the truck, the defendant was heard shouting “Allahu Akbar,” which translates into Arabic as “God is great.” It was further claimed that Saipov, who was taken to a hospital after being shot by officers, wanted to hang the ISIS flag in his hospital room.
The only thing that prevented the extremist from flying the banner on his truck during the attack was the fact that it would draw attention to him, which could ultimately thwart his plan.
The Justice Department further stated that they found additional evidence linking the Sayfullo Saipov attack to ISIS influence, including a document with a specific saying that followers use to refer to the group: “It will endure.” They also referred to a prison phone call in which Saipov called himself a “soldier of the caliphate.”
Prosecutor Jason Richman commented on Sayfullo Saipov’s actions, saying:
βHe turned a bike path into his battlefield. He was happy about the terrorist attack that he unleashed.”
Saipov’s lawyers said he planned to die a martyr’s death, an idea heavily influenced by his time spent on the Internet during his work as a long-haul truck driver.
While they did not deny his involvement in the tragic attack, Saipov’s lawyers planned to distinguish it as a lone-wolf attack and not part of an elaborate plot carried out in collusion with an international terrorist organization.
During the hearing, New York City Public Defender David Patton told the jury:
“If you are planning to die in an attack, you are not planning to join an organization. I admit there is something strange about discussing possible explanations for a horrific crime that is inexplicable and senseless, but it is what you are accused of.” , and it’s the decision you’re being asked to make.”
Sayfullo Saipov’s sentence will be determined next month.
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