MELVILLE, N.Y. — President Barack Obama is slated to give the FBI agents working on the latest terrorism case a public pat on the back today in Manhattan.
Obama is scheduled to commend the New York FBI office for its work in the investigation, which has led to the arrest and indictment of Najibullah Zazi, 24, on charges he plotted to kill Americans with homemade bombs. Officials think New York City was the likely target.
The FBI is probing at least three others who allegedly bought chemicals to make the explosives.
On Monday, Ahmad Afzali, 37, an imam from Flushing, N.Y., who was arrested last month on charges that he lied to federal agents and police in the investigation, was indicted on the same charge, said defense attorney Ron Kuby.
“A tired rehash of the same tired stuff,” Kuby said. “President Obama is coming to town, so I guess they wanted to give him a gift.”
Officials insist Afzali lied about whether he told anyone police were asking questions about Zazi and others. He remains free on $1.5 million bail. Zazi’s father was also indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver for allegedly lying to investigators and is free on bail. Newsday
