Mohammed Wali Zazi
Mohammed Wali Zazi (born 1955 in Afghanistan),[1] currently a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Arapahoe County, Colorado, is a suspect in matters related to terrorism.[2]
Connection to 2009 terror plot
Zazi is the father of convicted al-Qaeda terrorist Najibullah Zazi, who intended to detonate explosives on the New York City Subway during rush hour as one of three coordinated suicide bombings. His son was arrested in September 2009, and pled guilty to charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and providing material to a terrorist organization.[3] Before his arrest, he worked as a taxi driver.[4]
As he was believed to have secretly helped his son commit possible acts of terrorism, Zazi was charged in 2009 on the counts of conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as conspiring to dispose of his son's bomb-making materials and chemicals.[5][6] Based on a request of the Denver Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), an arrest warrant for his arrest in violation of 18 U.S.C. §1001(a)(2) was issued on September 19, 2009.[1] He was released on a $50,000 bail on February 18, 2009.[5] He pleaded not guilty in February 2010.[7]
He was convicted in July 2011 of destroying evidence and lying to investigators.[8] He was sentenced in February 2012 to four and a half years in prison.[9]
Immigration fraud
In October 2011, he pleaded guilty to instructing his lawyer to falsify immigration documents for his nephew.[8]
References
- ^ a b "US District Court for the District of Colorado. Arrest Warrant for Mohammed Wali Zazi" (PDF). Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ Ghosh, Bobby; Von Drehle, David (October 1, 2009). "An Enemy Within: The Making of Najibullah Zazi". Time. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
- ^ Spencer S. Hsu; Carrie Johnson (February 22, 2010). "Najibullah Zazi, Denver man accused in N.Y. terror plot, pleads guilty". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2010.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Father of terror suspect Zazi gets bail". New York Post. February 17, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
- ^ a b John Marzulli (February 18, 2010). "Mohammed Wali Zazi, father of terror suspect Najibullah Zazi, free on bail". NY Daily News. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
- ^ Tom Hays (February 9, 2010). "Father of NY terror plot suspect pleads not guilty". Associated Press. Retrieved February 23, 2010.
- ^ Chad Bray (February 22, 2010). "Terror Suspect Zazi Expected To Plead Guilty Monday". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 23, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ a b Hays, Tom (October 21, 2011). "Father of NYC plotter pleads guilty to visa charge". Denver Post. Associated Press. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
- ^ Secret, Mosi (February 10, 2012). "Prison for Father Who Lied About Terror Plot". New York Times. Retrieved August 10, 2015.