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NYPD authorities arrested Pimentel on Saturday. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr., and New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly "announced the charges against (him) at a Sunday evening news conference at City Hall."
He'd been under surveillance for over two years. Authorities claimed he was close to completing at least three bombs.
According to Kelly:
"Pimentel talked about killing US military personnel returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly Marines and Army personnel. He talked about bombing post offices in and around Washington Heights and police cars in New York City, as well as a police station in Bayonne, NJ.""Once his bombing campaign began, Mr. Pimentel said the public would know that there were mujahidden in the city to fight jihad here."
Jihad is Arabic for "struggle," "effort," "to strive," "to exert," "resist," and "to fight," depending on the context. Western interpretation calls it "holy war," inaccurately suggesting belligerence.
Although the Koran calls for military struggle for Islam, it's mainly an internal, individual, spiritual one for self-improvement, moral cleansing, and intellectual effort.
Contrary to Western propaganda, it doesn't advocate violence or war. Moreover, Islam, Christianity and Judaism have common roots.
It's also not one of Islam's five pillars, including profession of faith, prayer five times daily, fasting during Ramadan, charity, and performing the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime for those able to afford it.
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