Liberty City 7
The FBI arrested seven men known as the Liberty City 7 on June 23, 2006 in Miami, Florida. They were charged with conspiracy to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago and the FBI building in Miami, Florida. The suspects later became known as the Liberty City 7 because they operated out of a warehouse in Miami's Liberty City housing project.
Fast Facts
- Date of Arrest: June 22, 2006
- Group was nicknamed the Liberty 7, after the area of Miami in which they were arrested--Liberty City
- Trial began October 2, 2007
- One suspect acquitted on December 13, 2007
- Mistrial was declared for the other six in 2007
- Second mistrial in April 2008
The Alleged Plot
The alleged plot was foiled when the FBI raided the warehouse that served as their temple. The men called their group the 'Seas of David'. No firearms or explosives were found. The governments case was supported by a paid FBI informant who infiltrated the group. He offered them new boots, guns and $50,000 from Al Qaeda if they swore allegiance to the group. The Liberty City 7 were then video taped taking the oath. The film later became a key piece of evidence in the trial.
Mistrials
The men were accused of working with Al Qaeda to blow up the Sears Tower as a part of the Islamic jihad against the U.S..
The first trial ended with a mistrial in December of 2007. The second trial was also declared a mistrial and wrapped up on April 16, 2008 after 13 days of deliberation.
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