MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — Prosecutors can move forward with their case against a Queens man accused of plotting to attack New York synagogues, a judge ruled Monday.
Ahmed Ferhani, 27, one of two men accused of hatching a terrorist scheme to blow up New York synagogues, was indicted on weapons possession, hate crime and terrorism conspiracy charges last June after a seven-month undercover police investigation.
Lawyers for Ferhani argued to dismiss the the unusual state-level terrorism case, claiming law enforcement had entrapped their client — who they said has been institutionalized more than 20 times for mental illness — during a sting operation.
Lawyers Barbara Fink and Lamis Deek acknowledged that their client purchased semi-automatic pistols, a revolver and a grenade as charged, but insisted he had no plans to use them to blow up a synagogue.
