A Ghanaian man who was arrested back in April after revealing to
his girlfriend that he was a terrorist and intend to 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, Masslive reported.
The
judge, Thomas Estes placed his conviction "on file" for the next 12
months, which implies that no sentence will be imposed if he stays out
of trouble over that time.
Just after the end
of the court proceedings, Ismail was taken into custody by United State
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mary Carey, communications director
for Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan said.
According
to his lawyer, before his arrest, Ismail who has been in the US since
2013, after having arrived from Ghana to seek asylum was due to have an
immigration hearing about being granted permanent resident status next
March.
Unfortunately, the 27-year-old was
arrested after a woman that he had been dating reported him to the
police. The two had begun the romantic relationship after meeting
through the online dating application Tender.
According
to the woman, Ismail came to her dorm room in Butterfield Hall and
asked her to print out a document on the recent bombings in Syria.
When
she told him, she was uncomfortable doing so, he reportedly said: "I'm a
terrorist" and that he planned to blow up the dorm.
Troubled
by Ismail’s comment, the woman, said she subsequently escorted Ismail
from the building, and right after called the police.
She
also refused to stay in her dorm room as she was still shocked by the
threat comment from Ismail. The university was, therefore, forced to
find new accommodation her.
Although, 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.
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