Black nationalist suspect in NYC subway attack indicted on terrorism charges

A US grand jury on Saturday indicted a man for terrorism and other charges following an attack inside a New York City subway car last month.

On April 12, a man injured 23 people on the New York City subway using gunfire and a smoke bomb.

The indictment in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York charged Frank James, 62, with a terrorist attack and other violence against a mass transportation system, plus a count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.

If convicted on the terrorism charge James could be sentenced to life in prison, Reuters reported.

The terrorism charges come despite initial comments from the New York City Police Department that the attack was not being investigated as an act of terrorism.

James is accused of setting off smoke bombs and opening fire inside a New York City subway car in Brooklyn, striking 10 people with gunfire and setting off a round-the-clock manhunt.

Thirteen others were injured in the frantic rush to flee the smoke-filled train, police said.

James was taken into custody around 30 hours later in lower Manhattan, about 8 miles from the scene of the assault. Authorities located the accused with help from residents, some of whom posted sightings on social media.

James is a Bronx native with recent addresses in Philadelphia and Milwaukee. He was already charged with a criminal complaint filed by law enforcement over the attack, but the formal indictment came after prosecutors presented evidence to a grand jury.

Authorities accuse James of setting off two smoke bombs inside a subway car moments before opening fire on passengers with a semi-automatic handgun. The gun, purchased in 2011, was recovered from the scene, along with three extended-ammunition magazines, a torch, a hatchet, a bag of fireworks, and a container of gasoline, according to police and court documents.

The Post Millennial previously reported on James' concerning social media posts, which include threatening rants against Mayor Adams posted to YouTube.

In one video James said, "Mr. Mayor, I’m a victim of your mental health program, I’m 63 now full of hate, full of anger, and full of bitterness."

In a March 2022 video, James said he hoped humanity would be exterminated because of the damage people have done to the environment.

He also railed against Jews, posted hatred of former President Donald Trump, and supported Black Lives Matter and black nationalism. He said the world is against black people, adding, "And so the message to me is: I should have gotten a gun, and just started shooting motherf*ckers."

"Or I should have gotten some dope and started shooting or starting hitting b*tches in the head, robbing old ladies, you know what the f*ck it is."