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Bombing Suspect Pleads Not Guilty in Shootout With New Jersey Officers Bombing Suspect Pleads Not Guilty in Shootout With New Jersey Officers
(about 2 hours later)
ELIZABETH, N.J. — More than three weeks after bombings in Manhattan and New Jersey, the man accused, Ahmad Khan Rahami, appeared on Thursday in Superior Court here, via video conference, and pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the attempted murder of police officers. ELIZABETH, N.J. — More than three weeks after the bombings in New York City and at the Jersey Shore, the man accused in the attacks pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges relating to the attempted murder of police officers.
From his bed at University Hospital in Newark, where he has been recovering from gunshots since his capture on Sept. 19 in Linden, N.J., Mr. Rahami, 28, said little, generally giving one-word answers to questions. The man, Ahmad Khan Rahami, who appeared in Superior Court here via video conference from his bed at University Hospital in Newark, said little, generally giving one-word answers to questions. Mr. Rahami, 28, has been in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds since his capture on Sept. 19 in Linden, N.J.
Still, it was the public’s first glimpse of Mr. Rahami since he was loaded into an ambulance after a shootout with police officers that capped a weekend-long hunt for the person responsible for planting bombs here, in Seaside Park, N.J., and in Manhattan. It was the public’s first glimpse of Mr. Rahami since he was loaded into an ambulance after a shootout with officers that ended a search for the person responsible for planting bombs here, in Seaside Park, N.J., and in Manhattan.
One of the bombs, planted under a trash bin on 23rd Street in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, exploded on Sept. 17, injuring 31 people. Earlier that day, an explosive detonated in a trash can in Seaside Park, where a 5K race had been scheduled. Another blast occurred as a robot was trying to disarm explosives left in the trash at the train station here. A fourth bomb was found in Chelsea, but it did not detonate. Charges relating to the bombings have been filed in federal court, although Mr. Rahami has not been arraigned on those charges. One of the bombs, planted under a trash bin on 23rd Street in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, exploded on Sept. 17, injuring 31 people. Earlier that day, an explosive detonated in a trash can in Seaside Park, where a five-kilometer race had been scheduled. Another blast occurred as a robot was trying to disarm explosives left in the trash at the train station in Elizabeth. A fourth bomb was found in Chelsea, but it did not detonate.
It is rare for so much time — more than three weeks — to pass between a defendant’s arrest and his first appearance in court. But in the days after Mr. Rahami’s capture, state prosecutors opposed an effort by public defenders to visit him, saying that Mr. Rahami was “incapacitated and unable to communicate” and therefore unable to assert his right to a counsel. Charges relating to the bombings have been filed in federal court, although Mr. Rahami has not been arraigned on them.
Little has been known about Mr. Rahami’s health. He was shot several times after he fired on police officers who had discovered him asleep in a vestibule of a bar. But on Thursday, 24 days after his capture, Mr. Rahami could be seen reclining in his hospital bed, his head propped up by a pillow. A white sheet was draped across his body, concealing the extent of his injuries. His health was not discussed during the brief hearing. It is rare for so much time to pass between a defendant’s arrest and his first appearance in court. But in the days after Mr. Rahami’s capture, state prosecutors opposed an effort by public defenders to visit him, saying that he was “incapacitated and unable to communicate” and therefore unable to assert his right to a counsel.
One of his lawyers, Peter Liguori, did much of the talking, as he stood over Mr. Rahami’s bed, in a yellow hospital gown and blue rubber gloves. Mr. Liguori said that Mr. Rahami would be pleading not guilty to each of the charges. Little has been said about Mr. Rahami’s health. He was shot several times after he fired on officers who had discovered him asleep in the vestibule of a bar. But on Thursday, he could be seen reclining in a hospital bed, his head propped up by a pillow. A white sheet was draped over his body, concealing the extent of his injuries.
In a soft voice, Mr. Rahami answered “yes” to a few routine questions from the judge: Was he able to hear what the judge was saying? Had he seen a copy of the criminal charges?
One of his lawyers, Peter Liguori, did much of the talking, as he stood over Mr. Rahami’s bed, in a yellow hospital gown and blue gloves. Mr. Liguori said Mr. Rahami would be pleading not guilty to each of the charges.
“I will enter a not guilty plea, of course, on all the charges,” the judge, Regina Caulfield, said before setting bail at $5.2 million.“I will enter a not guilty plea, of course, on all the charges,” the judge, Regina Caulfield, said before setting bail at $5.2 million.
Judge Caulfield outlined the charges Mr. Rahami faces in state court, the most serious of which were the attempted murder of five police officers. None of the officers were seriously injured. Mr. Rahami is accused of shooting one officer in the torso, although the officer was spared serious injury because of to his body armor. Judge Caulfield outlined the charges Mr. Rahami faces in state court, the most serious of which were the attempted murder of five police officers. None were seriously injured. He is accused of shooting one officer in the torso, although that officer was spared serious injury because of his body armor.
It is not known when Mr. Rahami will be formally arraigned in federal court on bombing-related charges. An Afghan-born, naturalized United States citizen, Mr. Rahami is said by federal prosecutors to have taken his inspiration from “Brother Osama bin Laden” and other international terrorists, including members of the Islamic State, according to a criminal complaint and a notebook he had when he was captured. It is not known when Mr. Rahami will be formally arraigned in federal court on bombing-related charges. An Afghan-born, naturalized United States citizen, he is said by federal prosecutors to have taken his inspiration from “Brother Osama bin Laden” and other international terrorists, including members of the Islamic State, according to a criminal complaint and a notebook he had when he was apprehended.
Still, much about his radicalization remains unknown. Mr. Rahami spent hours watching videos on the internet espousing violent jihad, frightening his father, Mohammad, who confronted his son and said he shared his concerns with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, after Mr. Rahami had been arrested on assault charges in a domestic violence case. Still, much about his radicalization remains unknown. Mr. Rahami spent hours watching videos on the internet espousing violent jihad, frightening his father, Mohammad Rahami, who confronted his son and said he shared his concerns with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, after his son had been arrested on assault charges in a domestic violence case.
But Mr. Rahami’s radicalization does not appear to have occurred entirely in his bedroom above the family’s fried chicken restaurant here. He traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan for extended periods in recent years. But Mr. Rahami’s radicalization does not appear to have occurred entirely in his bedroom, above the family’s fried chicken restaurant here. He traveled to Afghanistan and Pakistan for extended periods in recent years.
He returned home from one yearlong trip in 2014, noticeably angry, friends and relatives have said. His family grew concerned that he may have come under the sway of a radical cleric while living in Quetta, Pakistan, where the Rahami family has relatives.He returned home from one yearlong trip in 2014, noticeably angry, friends and relatives have said. His family grew concerned that he may have come under the sway of a radical cleric while living in Quetta, Pakistan, where the Rahami family has relatives.