Najibullah Zazi
Najibullah Zazi (b. 1985 (age 38–39)) is a citizen of Afghanistan and legal resident of the United States who was arrested in September 2009 as part of the 2009 U.S. Al Qaeda group accused of planning to carry out acts of terrorism against the United States.[1][2][3] Zazi is an Afghan said by the FBI to have attended courses and received instruction on weapons and explosives at an Al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan in 2008.
On September 9 2009, he rented a car, to drive from his home in Denver, Colorado, to New York City.[1] According to the New York Times, this trip triggered a series of arrests on September 15 2009.
Early life
Zazi was born in Afghanistan in 1985.[4] Zazi moved with his family to Pakistan in 1992 -- four years before the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Zazi and his family were accepted as legal residents of the USA in 1999.
He married his wife in Pakistan.[4] He has claimed several visits he has made to Pakistan in 2007 and 2008 were to visit his wife.
According to the Associated Press Zazi filed for bankruptcy in New York State on March 26 2009, with $52,000 USD debts, and was discharged on August 17 2009.[4]
According to Time Magazine, authorities believe that Zazi was planning an attack using either a truck filled with explosives, or back-pack bombs as were used in the Madrid and London subway bombings.[5]
Publicly acknowledged triggers for his arrest
Zazi returned in January 15 2009 from a trip to Peshawar, a city just east of Pakistan's volatile Federally Administered Tribal Areas.[1][4] He has maintained that this five month trip was to visit his wife. The FBI however asserts that after several days of interrogation he has acknowledged receiving military training in the semi-autonomouse Tribal area.
On September 10 2009, the day after Zazi left Denver for New York, New York city police ask informant Ahmad Wais Afzali to identify individuals in a series photograph that include Zazi.[4] Afzali identifies Zazi.
On September 10 2009 Zazi is pulled over, at the George Washington Bridge, for what he is told is a routine traffic stop, and his car is searched.[4]
The Associated Press reports that it was known that Zazi, Afzali and Zazi's father back in Colorado all spoke about what Afzali told the Police on September 11 2009.[4]
On September 12 2009 Zazi's rental car is towed, over a parking violation.[4] According to the Associated Press: "FBI agents search the car and find a laptop with an image of nine pages of handwritten notes on how to make explosives, detonators and fuses." Zazi flies back to Denver.
On September 14 2009 American security officials search several homes in New York.[4] They find Zazi's fingerprints on a scale and AA batteries. An alert is issued to American law enforcement officials to be on the lookout for hydrogen peroxide based bombs.
On September 16 2009 Zazi comes in for a voluntary interview with his lawyer, at the FBI office in Denver.[4] It lasts eight hours. Zazi denies knowing the suspicious nine page document was on his hard drive. He speculates that he might have accidentally downloaded the images in August with a religious book that he then deleted.
The FBI reports that in subsequent interviews on September 17 and 18 2009 he acknowledged receiving training explosives and weapons training in the Tribal areas.[4]
According to the Associated Press "Authorities arrest Zazi, his father and Afzali on charges of lying in a matter involving terrorism."[4]
References
- ^ a b c Karen Zraik, David Johnston (2009-09-15). "Man in Queens Raids Denies Any Terrorist Link". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-21.
- ^ David Johnston, Al Baker (2009-09-18). "Denver Man Admits to a Possible Al Qaeda Connection, Officials Say". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-21.
- ^ David Johnston, William K. Rashbaum (2009-09-20). "Terror Suspect Had Bomb Guide, Authorities Say". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2009-09-21.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Catherine Tsai, P. Solomon Banda (2009-09-21). "Timeline of events in NYC terror probe". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2009-09-21.
- ^ Terrorism Suspect Najibullah Zazi, Dan Fletcher Tuesday, Sep. 22, 2009, time Magazine, [1]