Informant says he pushed attack

— A paid FBI informant testified Tuesday that he prodded a would-be bomber to move forward with a 2009 plot to attack synagogues and shoot down military planes by falsely promising to make him “the happiest man on planet Earth.”

The informant, Shahed Hussain, testified on crossexamination in federal court in Manhattan that he bought food and paid rent for James Cromitie, accused of being the plot’s mastermind, weeks before Cromitie and three other men were arrested in an elaborate sting that the defense argues was entrapment.

Cromitie, 43, Onta Williams, 34, David Williams, 29, and Laguerre Payen, 28, have pleaded innocent to charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction and conspiracy to acquire and use anti-aircraft missiles to kill U.S. officers and employees.

The government’s star witness was grilled about recorded conversations in which he suggested Cromitie would be rewarded with a BMW luxury car and evenhis own barbershop once the phony mission was completed.

The informant admitted that, while posing as a representative of a Pakistani terrorist organization, he also alluded to a potential $250,000 payday.

“You did this because 10 months into the investigation, [Cromitie] hadn’t agreed to do anything, right?” defense attorney Vincent Briccetti asked.

“He never said no,” Hussain replied.

Briccetti cited another exchange in which Hussain told Cromitie, “My brothers will make you the happiest man on planet Earth.”

“You were talking about money, right?” the lawyer asked.

“And religion - both,” Hussain said.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 09/22/2010

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