N.Y. Man Sentenced For Planning New Year’s Eve Terror Attack

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Emanuel L. Lutchman, 26, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), was sentenced to 20 years in prison and 50 years supervised released by Chief U.S. District Judge for the Western District of New York Frank P. Geraci.

His sentence was announced by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, Jan. 26.

According to the investigation, Lutchman, 26, conspired with an influential ISIL member in Syria, Abu Issa Al Amriki, now dead, and planned to kill Americans in the name of the terrorist organization on New Year’s Eve 2015. Al Amriki was a terror trainer to Lutchman and others, authorities said. Together the two discussed the Lutchman’s plan to conduct an attack in Rochester essentially as a means of establishing his value as a future terrorist for ISIL in Syria.

Lutchman, who is a U.S. citizen and identifies himself as a Muslim convert, according to the complaint filed against him, admitted to planning the attack. According to court documents, He posted on social media expressions of support for ISIL, including images, videos and documents relating to ISIL and violent jihad. On Dec. 25, 2015, Lutchman initiated online contact with Al-Amriki, and in a series of subsequent communications, Al-Amriki told Lutchman to plan an attack on New Year’s Eve and kill “Kuffars” or non-believers. Al-Amriki advised the defendant to write something before the attack and give it to the ISIL member so that after the attack the ISIL member could post it online to announce Lutchman’s allegiance to ISIL. Al-Amriki told Lutchman that whatever Lutchman sends to ISIL, they would keep it until the attack was complete and then post it and publicize the attack on the Internet. Al-Amriki emphasized that Lutchman is “behind enemy lines,” that Lutchman was the closest person to their most hated enemy and that Lutchman has the chance to do things that ISIL wishes it could do.

Lutchman told Al-Amriki that he has a couple of “brothers” that wanted to plan an attack. He also told Al-Amriki that he hates it in the U.S., that he wants to join the ranks of ISIL and that he is ready to “give everything up” to be in Syria with ISIL. Al-Amriki told him to do what he can in the U.S. for now, according to a press release from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of New York.

Lutchman admitted that on Dec. 27, 2015, he and Al-Amriki discussed potential targets, and Al-Amriki told Lutchman to find the most populated area and kill as many people as possible.
Subsequently, Lutchman purchased weapons and supplies for the attack, including two black ski masks, two knives, a machete, zip-ties, duct tape, ammonia and latex gloves. Lutchman told Individual C that “the operation is a go,” and noted that many victims would have to be killed. Lutchman admitted that on Dec. 30, 2015, he made a video pledging allegiance to ISIL and al-Baghdadi, and stated that ISIL was going to establish the caliphate in the land of Islam. He was arrested Dec. 30, 2015.