Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 14 december 2017

Subway bombing suspect faces charges from his hospital bed

not request bail. lana Jasimuddin Rahmani,
U.S. Magistrate Judge the imprisoned leader of a
Katharine H. Parker, sitting banned group called An-
in a federal courthouse sarullah Bangla Team.
in Manhattan, communi- The group has been linked
cated with Ullah via video to killings and attacks on
shown on several monitors secular academics and
in the courtroom. She read atheist bloggers in Bangla-
him his rights as he nodded desh.
his head several times, ac- Rahmani is serving time in
knowledging that he un- prison for his involvement in
derstood. the killings.
Ullah didn’t enter a plea The wife was questioned
but answered a few of the in Bangladesh and told in-
judge’s questions, includ- vestigators Ullah discussed
ing answering “I can see Rahman’s writings with her
you” when she asked if he during his last visit home,
could hear her and “yes I said Monirul Islam, a top of-
do” when he was asked if ficial of Bangladesh’s coun-
he understood his rights. terterrorism department.
Ullah, 27, is accused of det- Investigators found bomb-
onating a pipe bomb that making materials in Ullah’s
was strapped to his body in apartment.
a pedestrian tunnel linking They said he carried out
two busy subway stations. the attack after research-
He was the only person seri- ing how to build a bomb a
ously injured. year ago and planned his
Prosecutors said that after mission for several weeks.
Police officers patrol in the passageway connecting New York City’s Port Authority bus terminal
and the Times Square subway station, near the site of Monday’s explosion. Commuters returning his capture he told inter- The bomb was assembled
to New York City’s subway system this week were met with heightened security after a would-be rogators he was on a mis- in the past week using frag-
suicide bomber’s rush-hour blast failed to cause the bloodshed he intended. sion to punish the U.S. for ments of a metal pipe, a
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig) attacking the Islamic State battery and a Christmas
By COLLEEN LONG pearance on Wednesday He could be seen on the group. tree light bulb, along with
LARRY NEUMEISTER via video from the hospital video laying on a hospital Officials in Bangladesh said the metal screws, authori-
Associated Press room where he is recover- bed with his head propped Wednesday that Ullah, who ties said.
NEW YORK (AP) — A Bangla- ing from burns sustained in up on a pillow and his body lived in Brooklyn but was Ullah had apparently
deshi immigrant accused the blast. covered up to his neck in married to a woman in Ban- hoped to die, taking as
of setting off a pipe bomb Akayed Ullah said little dur- sheets. Two assistant pub- gladesh, had asked his wife many innocent people as
in the New York subway sys- ing the hearing, which last- lic defenders, who stood to read the writings and lis- he could with him, prosecu-
tem had his first court ap- ed a little over 10 minutes. beside his hospital bed, did ten to the sermons of Mou- tors said.q

Ex-polygamous sect leader gets nearly 5 years in fraud case

By BRADY McCOMBS 2016 with fraud and money doesn’t respect U.S. laws Lyle Jeffs is a lifelong mem- efits fraud and failure to
Associated Press laundering charges against and puts his allegiance to ber of the Mormon offshoot appear. “I do your honor
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A him and 10 other group his brother and the sect’s group based on the Utah- humbly and respectfully
former polygamous sect members. imprisoned prophet, War- Arizona border known as say that I acknowledge
leader was sentenced Lyle Jeffs was accused of ren Jeffs, above everything the Fundamentalist Church my mistakes and decision-
Wednesday to nearly five being the ring-leader of a else. of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day making,” said Lyle Jeffs, his
years in prison for his role in scheme that diverted some Stewart said Lyle Jeffs’ Saints, or FLDS. hands and ankles shackled.
carrying out an elaborate $11 million in food-stamp religious beliefs provide Lyle Jeffs 57, spoke briefly “I do humbly accept my re-
food stamp fraud scheme benefits to a communal context for his decision to and said he accepted re- sponsibly for my actions. I
and for escaping home storehouse and front com- “blindly” follow his brother’s sponsibility for his mistakes don’t blame anyone.” The
confinement while await- panies over several years. orders, but don’t justify the and that he erred in not cases against the 10 other
ing trial. U.S. District Judge Ted Stew- fact that he “cheated” tax- properly researching food defendants ended in plea
The sentencing of Lyle Jeffs art said during a hearing in payers out of government stamp fraud laws. He was deals without prison time
closes the book on a major Salt Lake City that Lyle Jeffs funds. ordered to pay $1 million or with dismissed charges,
government bust that took deserved the 57-month “Mr. Jeffs is an adult. He in restitution. He had pre- but prosecutors made Lyle
several years to investigate, prison sentence because knows right from wrong,” viously pleaded guilty to Jeffs their top priority from
culminating in February his behavior showed he Stewart said. conspiracy to commit ben- the outset. q