A federal jury has convicted a Palestinian living in North Carolina of plotting murders from behind bars. He is in prison to begin with for other murder-for-hire plots.

The jury found Nahro Sudoi Innab, 70, of Rocky Mount, guilty on three counts of making interstate calls to arrange killings while he was jailed awaiting sentencing on an earlier murder-for-hire case, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The new convictions expose Innab to up to 30 additional years in prison.

“This Palestinian immigrant came here to take advantage of the American dream, but he has repeatedly tried to hire thugs to murder his perceived enemies,” Ellis Boyle, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina’s top prosecutor, said in a statement Friday. “We will not tolerate this type of terror-spreading behavior.”

According to federal prosecutors, Innab had already pleaded guilty to attempting to arrange murders and was being held in jail pending the start of his prison sentence when he allegedly escalated again. While incarcerated, authorities say, he offered fellow inmates $10,000 for each killing to target several individuals he believed had wronged him.

“The intended victims were Rocky Mount small business owners,” the Justice Department said.

The plot unraveled after a cooperating defendant alerted the FBI and recorded audio of Innab outlining the plan.

James Barnacle, special agent in charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, said the case illustrates the danger posed even after formal charges are brought.

“Even after being federally charged, arrested and pleading guilty to a murder-for-hire plot, Nahro Innab continued his demented and dangerous plans,” Barnacle said. “Thankfully, a coordinated law-enforcement effort thwarted multiple murderous plots.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)