NEW YORK // US authorities said on Thursday they had arrested and charged a 25-year-old American Muslim convert over an alleged attempt to launch a New Year’s Eve attack in upstate New York in the name of ISIL.
Emanuel Lutchman was charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIL, the justice department said – a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Mr Lutchman, who lives in Rochester, New York, was in contact with an individual who claimed to be an IS member in Syria and who encouraged him to carry out an attack to prove his mettle, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The 25-year-old American armed himself with two knives, a machete, duct tape, zip ties and ski masks to carry out an attack on Thursday on an unnamed Rochester restaurant, court documents released by US authorities revealed.
Federal agents arrested Lutchman on Wednesday. He made an initial court appearance on Thursday.
“This New Year’s Eve prosecution underscores the threat of ISIL even in upstate New York, but demonstrates our determination to immediately stop any who would cause harm in its name,” said federal prosecutor William Hochul.
Mr Hochul, the US attorney for the western district of New York, said Mr Lutchman’s arrest sent a message to others plotting attacks in the name of the extremist group.
“You will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished,” he said.
Authorities said Mr Lutchman’s plot was to be carried out “on behalf of ISIL and in furtherance of his plan to join ISIL overseas”.
The 25-year-old is a self-professed Muslim convert with a criminal history dating back nearly 10 years that includes a robbery conviction. He spent about five years in prison.
Rochester is located in the western part of New York state on Lake Ontario, more than 530 kilometres north-west of Manhattan.
Authorities in the West are on edge as 2016 arrives, especially in the wake of the Paris attacks in November that killed 130 people, and a deadly December 2 gun attack in San Bernardino, California by a Muslim couple believed to have been inspired by ISIL ideology.
Both Paris and Brussels cancelled New Year’s Eve fireworks displays as soldiers and police ramped up security in European capitals over perceived terror threats.
In New York’s Times Square, where one million people were expected to gather for the traditional ball drop ceremony, thousands of police officers were deployed, including hundreds who are part of a new antiterror force.
* Agence France-Presse
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Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Abu Dhabi Card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,400m
National selection: AF Mohanak
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 90,000 1,400m
National selection: Jayide Al Boraq
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 100,000 1,400m
National selection: Rocket Power
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship Listed (PA) Dh 180,000 1,600m
National selection: Ihtesham
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 1,600m
National selection: Noof KB
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National selection: EL Faust
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
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RESULT
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Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
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The burning issue
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Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
Meydan race card
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