Najibullah Zazi's father to face NYC court after Denver drops suspected terror case

Update, 1:08 p.m.: Mohammed Zazi has now been officially accused in Brooklyn of conspiring to obstruct justice in Colorado and New York, prompting a scheduled appearance in U.S. District Court at 2 p.m. today. Click here for the details and read a U.S. Attorney's Office release below our original item...

By J. David McSwane

February 1, 2010

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Update, 1:08 p.m.: Mohammed Zazi has now been officially accused in Brooklyn of conspiring to obstruct justice in Colorado and New York, prompting a scheduled appearance in U.S. District Court at 2 p.m. today. Click here for the details and read a U.S. Attorney's Office release below our original item.

The father of Najibullah Zazi, who was arrested in September 2009 for allegedly conspiring to attack the U.S., will not answer to a Colorado court for his suspected involvement in the conspiracy.

The case against Mohammed Wali Zazi, who is accused of lying to FBI agents when questioned about his son's alleged plans, was dismissed in Denver today, clearing the way for a New York district court to pursue charges, according to a court motion filed today.

Earlier, Najibullah Zazi pleaded not guilty to charges involving a bombing plot in New York City. He's currently being held in New York, but his father, who also entered a not-guilty plea, is free on bail. Denverites, meanwhile, have officially waded into this case's sea of spectators.

U.S. Attorney's Office release:

MOHAMMED WALI ZAZI TO APPEAR IN U.S. MAGISTRATE COURT AT 2:00 PM

DENVER -- A federal grand jury from the Eastern District of New York has returned an indictment charging Mohammed Wali Zazi with conspiracy to obstruct justice. With Mohammed Zazi now being charged in New York, the Colorado U.S. Attorney's Office has filed a motion asking Senior U.S. District Circuit Judge David M. Ebel to dismiss the indictment returned in Colorado against him.

Mohammed Zazi was arrested by FBI Agents without incident this morning. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Denver at 2:00 p.m. today, Monday, February 1, 2010 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Watanabe, for his initial appearance.

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