Audio By Carbonatix
A Ghanaian who was arrested in April after telling his date that he was a terrorist and would blow up her University of Massachusetts dormitory pleaded guilty on Monday to a single charge of threatening to commit a crime.
Abdul F. Ismail entered the plea in Eastern Hampshire Court, admitting to his role in the April 11 incident. He avoided any jail time as Judge Thomas Estes placed his conviction "on file" for the next 12 months, meaning no sentence will be imposed if he stays out of trouble over that time.
However, Ismail was taken into custody by United State Immigration and Customs Enforcement shortly after the end of the court proceedings, according to Mary Carey, communications director for Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan.
Ismail, 27, has been in the United States since 2013. He came here from Ghana to seek asylum. His lawyer told the court that prior to his arrest, Ismail was due to have an immigration hearing about being granted permanent resident status next March
He was arrested after a woman that he had been briefly been dating reported him to police after their second date. The two had met through the online dating application Tender.
The woman, a UMass student, told police that he came to her dorm room in Butterfield Hall, and asked her to print out a document on the recent bombings in Syria.
When the woman said she was uncomfortable doing so, he reportedly said "I'm a terrorist" and that he planned to blow up the dorm.
His lawyer, Alan Rubin, told the court that Ismail was only joking, and that there was no evidence that he intended to carry out the crime.
UMass police testified that the comment troubled the woman enough to where she ended their date, escorted him from the building, and then called police.
She was also so shaken the university had to find new accommodations for her because she refused to stay in her dorm room.
Latest Stories
-
Partey visa ban: We are racing against time – Ablakwa reveals barely 48hrs to Ghana’s opener
14 minutes -
Office of Government Machinery not burdened by political appointees — Kwakye Ofosu replies Damongo MP
45 minutes -
US Air Force B-52 bomber plane crashes after take off in California
52 minutes -
SpaceX IPO raised $10bn more than thought
53 minutes -
Heroic Cabo Verde clinch draw with Spain
58 minutes -
Parents of 24 Ghanata SHS students agree to pay GH¢5,200 over alleged food theft by their wards
1 hour -
Kasapreko PLC lists on GSE, opens new chapter for growth
2 hours -
AI strategy key to positioning Ghana as leader in responsible AI development – Bandim Abed-Nego
2 hours -
Damongo MP urges CSOs to probe true cost of Mahama’s government
2 hours -
Ministerial numbers alone do not reveal government size – Samuel Jinapor
2 hours -
Ghana’s flooding problem caused by years of poor attitudes and weak enforcement – Researcher
2 hours -
Two diesel trailers collide at Kwahu Hwidiem
2 hours -
ACRC workshop pushes research-led reforms to strengthen decentralisation and urban governance
2 hours -
Diaspora Girls SHS in distress: Students learn under trees, attend classes in canteen amid severe infrastructure deficit
2 hours -
Accra Brewery PLC kicks off ‘Cheers to Bars’ with World Cup viewing experience
3 hours