FBI agents investigating what they describe as an international plot to detonate homemade bombs in the United States released documents today detailing arrests of an Afghanistan-born Colorado airport shuttle driver, his father and a New York man authorities identified as their informant.
The arrests late Saturday were based on non-terrorism charges — of making false statements. If convicted, each faces up to 8 years in prison.
According to the affidavits, Najibullah Zazi, 24, admitted during three days of questioning by federal agents in Denver to receiving al-Qaeda training in Pakistan. The documents also allege that a laptop seized by federal agents contained notes on making explosives.
FBI agents handcuffed and led Zazi his father, Mohammed Wali Zazi, 53, from their Aurora apartment at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday. They are being held in Denver County Jail, and were expected to make their initial appearances in federal court Monday.
Informant Ahmad Wais Afzali is scheduled to make his initial appearance on Monday in federal court in the Eastern District of New York.
Federal prosecutors relied on “legally-authorized electronic surveillance” of phone conversations on Sept. 11, 2009, between Mohammed Zazi, Najibullah Zazi and the informant, Afzali, “whom the NYPD has utilized as a source for information in the past,” according to the federal affidavits.
Those documents also assert that the younger Zazi was under surveillance when he rented a car and left Colorado for New York on Sept. 9 for what he said was a business matter involving a coffee cart he owns. In a later search of the car, authorities say, they found a laptop containing a jpeg image of handwritten bomb-making notes.
A warrant for the search of a New York apartment last week asserts that FBI agents found a black scale and several batteries from which finger-print testing detected Zazi’s fingerprints.
Federal authorities also allege that Zazi during questioning in Denver on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18 admitted attending courses at an al-Qaeda training base in Pakistan’s tribal area and that he received instruction on weapons and explosives.
But these allegations were not the basis for the arrests.
Zazi and his father have insisted repeated they are innocent.
They voluntarily submitted to questioning by FBI agents in what their attorney, Arthur Folsom, described as an effort to clear the air amid mounting suspicion and uncertainty.
Snatches from the FBI surveillance of the Sept. 11 phone conversations, presented in the affidavits, included the following:
Mohammed Zazi to Najibullah Zazi: “So, before anything else, speak with (Afzali). See if you need to go to (Afzali) or to make, make yourself aware, hire an attorney. What has happened? What have you guys done?”
Afzali to Najibullah Zazi: “… all this stuff is going on…..I want to speak with you about something….I want a meeting with you (and others). You probably know why I’m calling you for this meeting…. I was exposed to something yesterday from the authorities. And they came to ask me about your characters. They asked me about you guys….”
“I’m not sure if somebody complained about you. I’m not sure what happened. And I don’t want to know…. They (the authorities) said, ‘Please, we need to know who they are… what they’re all about.’ …. And I told them that they are innocent, law abiding “
Afzali then asked Najibullah Zazi about his latest trip to Pakistan, eight months ago. “You went to visit your wife, right?”
Najibullah Zazi: “Yeah.”
Afzali to Najibullah Zazi: “They (the police) came to the masjid (mosque) to ask for help. That is a good sign. Trust me that is a good sign. The bad sign is for them coming to you guys and picking you up automatically.”
Afzali to Najibullah Zazi: “Don’t get involved in Afghanistan garbage, Iraq garbage…….Listen, our phone call is being monitored.”
Another intercepted telephone conversation that day between Afzali and Najibullah Zazi — according to the affidavits — asserts that Zazi told Afzali his rental car had been taken and that he feared he was being watched. Afzali then “asked the defendant Zazi if there was any evidence in his car and the defendant Zazi said no,” the affidavits said.
Zazi abruptly broke off meetings with FBI agents Saturday morning.
Zazi’s attorney, Folsom, declined comment.
U.S. attorney Dave Gaouette also declined comment.
“The arrests carried out (Saturday night) are part of an ongoing and fast-paced investigation. It is important to note that we have no specific information regarding the timing, location or target of any planned attack,” said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.
Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700 or bfinley@denverpost.com
