Five Defendants Sentenced to Life in Prison in New Mexico Compound Terrorism Plot

A federal judge in New Mexico handed down life sentences without the possibility of parole to five defendants involved in a kidnapping and terrorism conspiracy. Jany Leveille, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhanah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morton received severe penalties for their roles in a chilling plot that shocked the nation.

After a three-week trial that concluded on Oct. 17, 2023, a federal jury convicted Siraj Wahhaj and Lucas Morton of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to murder a U.S. officer or employee. Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhanah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morton were also found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death. Jany Leveille pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and firearm possession charges on Aug. 8, 2023.

The court records reveal a harrowing tale beginning in December 2017 when the group, led by Leveille, abducted Siraj Wahhaj’s three-year-old son from his mother in Georgia and transported him to a remote property in Amalia, New Mexico. The group’s intentions were sinister, planning to exploit the child in a plot to dismantle alleged corrupt institutions such as the FBI, CIA, and U.S. military, and to eliminate those who resisted Leveille’s ideology.

Tragically, the child, Abdul Ghani, perished at the compound, but Leveille prophesized his resurrection on multiple occasions, leading the group to intensify their preparations for violent acts against society. However, when the resurrection did not occur, law enforcement intervened, executing warrants on the compound on Aug. 3, 2018. They secured the compound and arrested the suspects without incident. During subsequent searches, Abdul Ghani’s remains were discovered in an underground tunnel.

The investigation, led by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, with support from various law enforcement agencies, uncovered the chilling details of the conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall, along with Trial Attorneys Jessica Joyce and George Kraehe, prosecuted the case, underscoring the commitment to counterterrorism efforts and ensuring justice for victims of such heinous crimes.