Ramzi Yousef: A Profile in International Terrorism

Ramzi Yousef, born on either May 20, 1967, or April 27, 1968, and known by various aliases including Ramzī Yūsuf (رمزي احمد يوسف in Urdu), is an Egyptian national who gained notoriety as a convicted terrorist orchestrating some of the most significant attacks of the 1990s. His nefarious activities established him as a key figure in early global jihadist movements, particularly for his role as a principal perpetrator in the devastating 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York City and the destructive bombing of Philippine Airlines Flight 434. Furthermore, he was a pivotal co-conspirator in the ambitious and far-reaching Bojinka plot, a series of planned large-scale terrorist attacks.

Yousef's career as a fugitive ended dramatically in 1995. He was apprehended in Islamabad, Pakistan, at a guest house in a joint operation by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). At the time of his capture, Yousef was reportedly attempting to set a bomb inside a doll, a chilling detail that underscored his persistent and deceptive methods. Following his arrest, he was swiftly extradited to the United States to face justice for his crimes.

Legal Proceedings and Imprisonment

Upon his arrival in the United States, Ramzi Yousef was tried in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. He was tried alongside several co-conspirators and ultimately convicted for his central role in planning the elaborate Bojinka plot, which aimed to cause mass casualties and widespread disruption. For his involvement in both the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the Bojinka plot, Yousef received a severe sentence: two life sentences plus an additional 240 years, reflecting the gravity and scale of his criminal endeavors.

Currently, Ramzi Yousef is serving his multiple life sentences at ADX Florence, a federal supermax prison located near Florence, Colorado. Often referred to as "the Alcatraz of the Rockies," ADX Florence is designed to house the most dangerous and high-risk inmates in the U.S. federal system. Yousef shares a cell block commonly known as "Bombers' Row," a section reserved for notorious terrorists and bombers, with other infamous figures such as Terry Nichols (convicted in the Oklahoma City bombing), Eric Rudolph (responsible for the Centennial Olympic Park bombing), and Ted Kaczynski (the "Unabomber").

Key Terrorist Operations Linked to Ramzi Yousef

The 1993 World Trade Center Bombing

The 1993 World Trade Center bombing, a landmark event in the history of domestic terrorism in the United States, occurred on February 26, 1993. The attack involved the detonation of a massive truck bomb in the underground parking garage beneath the North Tower (Tower 1) of the World Trade Center complex in New York City. The improvised explosive device, weighing approximately 1,336 pounds (606 kilograms), was a highly potent mixture of urea nitrate and hydrogen gas cylinders. The terrorists' audacious plan was to use the immense force of the explosion to structurally compromise the North Tower, causing it to topple into the adjacent South Tower (Tower 2) and thereby bring down both iconic skyscrapers, potentially killing tens of thousands of people.

While the attack failed to achieve its catastrophic goal of collapsing the towers, it resulted in a horrific toll: six innocent people, including a pregnant woman, were killed, and over one thousand individuals sustained injuries. The explosion caused a 100-foot crater through five sub-levels of the parking garage, significant structural damage, and widespread chaos, necessitating the evacuation of approximately 50,000 people from the complex that day. The attack was meticulously planned by a cell of terrorists including Ramzi Yousef, Mahmud Abouhalima, Mohammad Salameh, Nidal A. Ayyad, Abdul Rahman Yasin, and Ahmed Ajaj. Initial funding for the operation, approximately $660, was provided by Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Yousef's maternal uncle.

The subsequent investigation and legal proceedings led to several convictions. In March 1994, four men were convicted for their roles in carrying out the bombing: Mahmud Abouhalima, Ahmed Ajaj, Nidal A. Ayyad, and Mohammad Salameh. The charges against them included conspiracy, explosive destruction of property, and interstate transportation of explosives. Later, in November 1997, two more pivotal figures were convicted: Ramzi Yousef, recognized as the chief organizer and mastermind behind the bombings, and Eyad Ismoil, who drove the truck containing the deadly bomb into the World Trade Center garage.

The Bojinka Plot and Philippine Airlines Flight 434

The Bojinka plot, an ambitious series of terror attacks, was primarily conceived and co-conspired by Ramzi Yousef and his maternal uncle, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. This sophisticated plot, which was largely foiled before its full execution, aimed for a multi-pronged assault, including:

• The simultaneous bombing of up to 12 commercial airliners across the Pacific Ocean, which would have killed thousands of passengers and crippled air travel.
• An attempt to assassinate Pope John Paul II during a visit to the Philippines.
• A plan to crash an airplane into the headquarters of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Langley, Virginia.

As a chilling "test run" for the airliner bombing component of the Bojinka plot, Yousef carried out the bombing of Philippine Airlines Flight 434 on December 11, 1994. Yousef planted a nitroglycerin-based device disguised as contact lens solution under a seat on the first leg of the flight from Manila to Cebu. He disembarked at Cebu, and the bomb detonated on the second leg of the flight to Tokyo, killing a Japanese businessman, Haruki Ikegami, and injuring 10 others. Despite the explosion creating a hole in the cabin floor and severing control cables, the pilot skillfully managed to land the Boeing 747 safely, averting a far greater catastrophe.

Connections to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Al-Qaeda

A significant aspect of Ramzi Yousef's terrorist activities is his familial and ideological connection to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), who is his maternal uncle. Yousef allegedly planned the Bojinka plot in close collaboration with KSM. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed himself is a high-ranking member of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization and is widely recognized as the principal architect of the devastating September 11 attacks in 2001, which ultimately brought down the very towers Yousef had targeted eight years prior.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ramzi Yousef

Who is Ramzi Yousef?

Ramzi Yousef is an Egyptian convicted terrorist primarily known for his leading role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the bombing of Philippine Airlines Flight 434, and his co-conspiracy in the expansive Bojinka plot.

What was the 1993 World Trade Center bombing?

It was a terrorist attack on February 26, 1993, involving a truck bomb detonated beneath the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. The attack, which aimed to collapse both towers, killed six people and injured over a thousand, causing significant structural damage and leading to a massive evacuation.

What was the Bojinka plot?

The Bojinka plot was a large-scale, foiled terrorist conspiracy co-planned by Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. It aimed to bomb multiple commercial airliners simultaneously, assassinate Pope John Paul II, and crash an airplane into the CIA headquarters.

Where is Ramzi Yousef imprisoned?

Ramzi Yousef is currently serving multiple life sentences at ADX Florence, a supermax federal prison near Florence, Colorado, known for housing the most dangerous inmates.

How is Ramzi Yousef related to Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?

Ramzi Yousef is the maternal nephew of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is a senior al-Qaeda member and the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks.