Jose PimentelALBANY, NY. – The man arrested for plotting several acts of terrorism in New York City first began planning his attacks while living in Schenectady, according to a spokesman with the New York State Police.
New York State Police Department's Paul Brown say 27-year-old Jose Pimentel made plans to go to Yemen and return on a Jihad while he lived in Schenectady in May of 2009.
The NYPD was notified of Pimentel's plan through a law enforcement partnership program called "Centry." They've kept him under surveillance ever since, according to Brown.
Pimentel lived on Willet Street in Schenectady for about five years before moving back to New York City.
On Saturday, Pimentel was arrested for planning several terror attacks on the military, police and post offices. Police found him inside his Washington Heights apartment in northern Manhattan where he was in the process of assembling three bombs, according to Brown.
Brown says Pimentel looked up to al-Qaida's Al Alwaki, the U.S.-born cleric was killed on September 30.
"He admired Al Alwaki," Brown said; after he was killed "[Pimentel's] rhetoric changed to actions and he started acquiring the means to make a bomb."
Pimentel was arrested in Schenectady in 2006 for possession of stolen property in the 4th degree in relation to credit card fraud.
Schenectady County Clerk tells News10 that there are two judgments against Pimentel the most recent came up in June of 2011.
According to county court records Pimentel owed $2,508 for child support enforcement to The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance this June.
There was also a judgment against him for child support enforcement for $4,095 from the same department in December of 2009.
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