Mohammed Wali Zazi

Mohammed Wali Zazi (born in 1955 in Afghanistan),[1] currently a naturalized U.S. citizen, residing in Arapahoe County, Colorado, is a suspect in matters related to terrorism.[2]

Contents

2009 Terror Plot

Main article: Najibullah Zazi

Mohammed Wali 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 "martyrdom" 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]

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 request of 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 pleaded not guilty in February 2010.[7] He was released on a $50,000 bail on February 18, 2009.[5]

He was convicted in July 2011 of destroying evidence and lying to investigators to cover up his son's plot.[8] As of November 2011, he was free on bail pending sentencing on December 2011, in which he faces up to 40 years in prison.[8]

Immigration fraud

In October 2011, he pleaded guilty to charges he forged immigration forms on behalf of a nephew of his, admitting that he had instructed a lawyer to fill out the forms to say his nephew was his son so the nephew could enter the United States more easily.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "US District Court for the District of Colorado. Arrest Warrant for Mohammed Wali Zazi" (PDF). http://www.justice.gov/usao/co/press_releases/archive/2009/September09/M.Zazi.pdf. Retrieved November 3, 2011. 
  2. ^ Ghosh, Bobby; Von Drehle, David (October 1, 2009). "An Enemy Within: The Making of Najibullah Zazi". Time. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/02/22/najibullah.zazi.plea/index.html. Retrieved February 23, 2010. 
  3. ^ Spencer S. Hsu; Carrie Johnson (February 22, 2010). "Najibullah Zazi, Denver man accused in N.Y. terror plot, pleads guilty". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/22/AR2010022201916.html?hpid=moreheadlines. Retrieved February 22, 2010. 
  4. ^ "Father of terror suspect Zazi gets bail". New York Post. February 17, 2010. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/father_of_terror_suspect_zazi_gets_pNrzwTVVGo5PlxlJCJDwhP. Retrieved February 23, 2010. 
  5. ^ a b John Marzulli (February 18, 2010). "Mohammed Wali Zazi, father of terror suspect Najibullah Zazi, free on bail". NY Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/02/18/2010-02-18_terror_suspect_zazis_dad_free_on_bail.html. Retrieved February 23, 2010. 
  6. ^ Tom Hays (February 9, 2010). "Father of NY terror plot suspect pleads not guilty". Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gT-Kwm3eHQPp5qw5B5yzpuy07XuwD9DOU2BO0. Retrieved February 23, 2010. 
  7. ^ Chad Bray (February 22, 2010). "Terror Suspect Zazi Expected To Plead Guilty Monday". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100222-709909.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines. Retrieved February 23, 2010. 
  8. ^ a b c Associated Press (October 21, 2011). "Father of NYC plotter pleads guilty to visa charge - WSJ.com". Online.wsj.com. http://online.wsj.com/article/AP4c390647c335485aba78dc7273b1e84c.html. Retrieved November 3, 2011.