NEW YORK, March 18 (UPI) -- Lawyers for four men accused of plotting to bomb New York synagogues say a government informant orchestrated the plan and offered large amounts of cash.
In a motion to dismiss the charges filed Wednesday, James Cromitie's attorney said the informant promised the Newburgh, N.Y., man $250,000, The New York Times reported. Prosecutors say Cromitie was the mastermind of the plan to blow up two synagogues in Riverdale in The Bronx.
The informant is named as Shaheed Hussain. Working with the FBI, he claimed to be representing a Pakistani group with a lot of money to spend.
Defense lawyers say recordings of conversations between Hussain and Cromitie show the government "decided to use large cash offers to try to cobble together a 'conspiracy' where none existed."
Prosecutors say the four defendants were clearly dangerous and willing to leave packages they believed to be explosives with timers in cars outside the Riverdale Jewish Center and the Riverdale Temple. But defense lawyers say Hussain clearly controlled the alleged "conspiracy," rejecting Cromitie's suggestion the bombing be done at night to prevent deaths and injury.
