Opinion ID: 757025
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Abouhalima

Text: 319 Abouhalima argues that the evidence presented at trial does not support a finding that he was a participant in the conspiracy to bomb the World Trade Center, but instead shows only that he knew the other defendants in this case and was present when they were taking some of the actions that furthered the conspiracy. The indictment charged Abouhalima with the same substantive offenses arising from the World Trade Center bombing (Counts Two to Six and Eight to Ten) and participation in the same conspiracy (Count One) as Ajaj, see supra Part VII.B., and, like Ajaj, he was convicted on all of these counts. Abouhalima is correct that these convictions would be unsupported in the absence of an adequate showing that he was in fact a participant in the conspiracy. [M]ere association with those implicated in an unlawful undertaking is not enough to prove knowing involvement in that criminal activity. Nusraty, 867 F.2d at 764; see also, e.g., United States v. Rios, 856 F.2d 493, 496 (2d Cir.1988). Moreover, mere presence while actions are being taken in furtherance of a conspiracy is likewise insufficient to prove knowing conspiratorial agreement. Nusraty, 867 F.2d at 764; see also United States v. Vilhotti, 452 F.2d 1186, 1189 (2d Cir.1971). 320 Contrary to Abouhalima's claims, however, the government presented more than enough evidence from which the jury could have concluded beyond a reasonable doubt that Abouhalima was a knowing member of the conspiracy and was guilty, either directly or on a Pinkerton theory, on all of the substantive counts with which he was charged. 321 First, there was testimony that Abouhalima helped Salameh and Yousef find the apartment at 40 Pamrapo. And the evidence that 40 Pamrapo was intended to and did serve as a bomb factory was strong. The location fit the recommendation in Ajaj's terrorist materials that a base of terrorist activities should be located in a ground floor apartment so as to facilitate easy escape if it should become necessary to flee the premises. The apartment had bluish stains on the walls and rust on the inside door knob and hinges of the back bedroom door, both consistent with the fumes generated by mixing explosives such as urea nitrate and nitroglycerine. Most important, samples of these two chemicals were found in scrapings taken from various items in the apartment. 19 322 Second, a receipt entered into evidence showed that Abouhalima was the purchaser of a refrigerator that bore Yousef's fingerprint and contained traces of nitroglycerine. The government presented evidence that the 40 Pamrapo apartment had not been equipped with a refrigerator when Salameh and Yousef moved in, and also pointed to passages in Ajaj's terrorist manuals that recommended stabilizing nitroglycerine by freezing it. Although Abouhalima's refrigerator was recovered from another location, there was sufficient information to permit the jury to infer that Abouhalima supplied the refrigerator to Yousef and Salameh at the 40 Pamrapo apartment as a storage facility for nitroglycerine, and that the refrigerator was subsequently removed and taken to the location where it was later discovered. 20 323 Third, there was testimony that, in the weeks preceding the bombing, Abouhalima, a limousine driver, made several unsuccessful attempts to secure the use of a van from his employer. The jury was entitled to conclude, in the light of the other evidence linking Abouhalima to the conspiracy, that Abouhalima sought to obtain such a vehicle in order to transport the bomb or otherwise to further the aims of the conspiracy, and that the co-conspirators were forced to rent the Ryder van because Abouhalima was unable to do so. 324 Fourth, one of Abouhalima's dress shoes, recovered from his apartment after the bombing, was found to have a burn that contained high levels of sulfate ions. The presence of such ions was shown to be consistent with having been burned by sulfuric acid, an ingredient in nitroglycerine. Moreover, a crystal of magnesium sulfate was found on the shoe. This substance can be made by mixing sulfuric acid and magnesium (an element that can enhance the destructive capacity of a urea nitrate bomb like the one used on the World Trade Center). 325 Fifth, in addition to the shoe, a copy of Rapid Destruction and Demolition was discovered at Abouhalima's home. Abouhalima's fingerprint was recovered from a page in this publication providing a formula for making explosives that could be used to destroy buildings. (Another copy of this same item was recovered from Ajaj at Kennedy Airport when Ajaj was stopped by United States customs officials as he attempted to enter the country with his terrorist materials.) 326 Sixth, there was evidence that Abouhalima purchased a can of Hodgdon brand smokeless powder, a substance similar to that used in the detonator of the bomb planted at the World Trade Center. After the bombing, a Hodgdon smokeless powder can was found in the storage shed along with the conspirators' other remaining chemicals. (The can had been emptied and then refilled with magnesium, another bomb ingredient.) 327 Seventh, the government offered telephone records for a calling card that belonged to Abouhalima. These revealed that Abouhalima was in frequent contact with the other defendants. Moreover, the card was used to make various calls to chemical companies and garden supply stores. These establishments sold ingredients that could be used to make the explosives employed in the World Trade Center bomb. 21 328 Eighth, a gas station attendant identified Abouhalima as the driver of a Lincoln Town Car (to which Abouhalima had access in the course of his employment as a limousine driver) that accompanied the Ryder van carrying Salameh and Yousef (and presumably also the bomb) early in the morning of the day on which the bomb was detonated. The attendant stated that Abouhalima paid to fill the gas tanks of both vehicles. 329 Finally, on the day following the bombing, Abouhalima made arrangements to flee the country. On March 2, 1993, leaving his family behind, Abouhalima traveled from the United States to the Sudan without any luggage and with only a one-way ticket. The jury was entitled to infer consciousness of guilt from the facts surrounding this flight. See United States v. Sanchez, 790 F.2d 245, 252 (2d Cir.1986). 330 All of this evidence was more than sufficient, when taken together, to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Abouhalima was a knowing and active participant in the conspiracy to bomb the World Trade Center; that he, himself, committed at least some of the substantive offenses in the indictment; and, to the extent that he did not directly participate in the substantive acts, that he was nonetheless liable under the Pinkerton doctrine.