Have you seen this Second Suspect Pleads Not Guilty to NYC Terror Charges

NYC

Second Suspect Pleads Not Guilty to NYC Terror Charges

VOA News 09 January 2010

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this courtroom sketch, defense attorney Robert Gottlieb, left, is seated next to his client, defendant Adis Medunjanin, at the federal courthouse in New York City, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010. Medunjanin has pleaded not guilty to charges that he flew to Pakistan to get military training from al-Qaida.

The second of two men arrested on Friday in  connection with an alleged terrorism plot has pleaded not guilty to the charges in a New York federal court.

Bosnian-born Adis Medunjanin entered the plea in a brief court appearance Saturday. The 25-year-old man is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization.

On Friday, Afghan-born driver Zarein Ahmedzay  pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements to U.S. federal agents.

The complaint against Ahmedzay alleges he did not name all the places he visited in Afghanistan and Pakistan while traveling to those countries in 2008 and 2009.  He is also charged with lying to the FBI for denying that he  received "military-type training" in Pakistan.

Investigators have linked the suspects to a Colorado man, Afghan-born Najibullah Zazi, arrested last year on charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction in New York City.  Zazi has pleaded not guilty.

When Zazi was arrested last September, investigators said they knew the identities of at least three of his associates, but did not release information about them.

Prosecutors have accused Zazi of conspiring to use homemade bombs against unspecified targets in the United States.  Law enforcement officials have said the plot may have involved New York City's mass transit system. 

They allege Zazi spent more than a year plotting the attack with co-conspirators and that he received bomb-making instructions in Pakistan in 2008. 

The U.S. government also says he bought components to build improvised explosive devices and traveled to New York City on September 10, 2009 to move forward with his plans. 

Federal officials say Ahmedzay and Medunjanin had been under surveillance for months.  Their homes in the New York City borough of Queens were among those searched last September during a probe into the alleged terror plot.

A lawyer for Medunjanin denies his client was involved in any terror plot.

Some information for this report provided by AP.

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New York is being watched closely - AFC Wildcard Preview of New York Jets-Cincinnati Bengals

New York

With the opening round of the NFL playoffs just a few hours away, it's time to see which teams will persevere and which ones will make an early exit.

The first game on the docket pits the No. 5-seeded New York Jets (9-7) against the No. 4-ranked Cincinnati Bengals (10-6). Kickoff begins at 4:30 p.m. and the game will air on NBC.

Less than a week ago, the Bengals suffered a 37-0 thumping by the Jets at Giants Stadium in a must-win game to earn a postseason birth. While it was an ugly display put on by the Bengals, they had little to play for with one exception being for a chance to be the No. 3 seed if the New England Patriots lost against the Houston Texans.

Despite the Patriots dropping a close one to Houston, Cincinnati was unable to bolster much of an offensive attack against the Jets, and, as a result, the defense lingered on the field all night and couldn't stop running back Thomas Jones and company from putting points on the board.

Meanwhile, history was made based on the Jets winning that game as first-year quarterback Mark Sanchez and head coach Rex Ryan became the first rookie tandem to ever make it into the playoffs in their first season in their respective roles.

If the Jets are to advance to the second round, they'll have to do so playing on the road and in enemy territory with the Bengals securing a home game at Paul Brown Stadium after capturing the AFC North title this season. The Bengals are 0-1 lifetime at PB Stadium, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005 thanks, in part, to Steelers Kimo von Oelhoffen knocking quarterback Carson Palmer out of the game when he drilled the former USC stud in the left knee.

But, even with Palmer (3,094 passing yards with 21 TD passes, 13 INTs) healthy, his go-to wideout Chad Ocho Cinco (72 catches, 1047 receiving yards, 9 TDs) may labor through the postseason after he slipped and fell during warmups last weekend, hurting a knee in the process.

The key to victory for the Bengals depends largely on if they can establish a strong running game with feature back Cedric Benson (1251 rushing yards, 6 TDs) against a Jets defensive front that's become susceptible to the run ever since New York lost run-stopper Kris Jenkins earlier in the year to injury.

As for the Jets, a steady dose of Jones (1,402 rushing yards, 14 TDs) against a beat-up Bengals defense will help alleviate the pressure put on Sanchez. If New York finds itself trailing early by a couple touchdowns, relying heavily on Sanchez's arm may spell trouble for the green-and-white.

Much like the stock market, Sanchez (53.8 percent completion rating, 2,444 passing yards) has been up-and-down this season not to mention turnover proven. He has three interceptions over his last three games and 12 touchdown passes versus 20 INTs on the year.

Omitting the flukey season-opening 12-7 loss to the Denver Broncos when receiver Brandon Stokely scored the game-winning TD off a tipped ball by the Bengals's secondary, Cincinnati only lost once at PB Stadium. On Oct. 18, the Texans beat the Bengals 28-17.

With more to play for today, coach Marvin Lewis and the Bengals should put a more competitive product on the field and test the Jets unlike their first match last Sunday. However, Pro Bowl cornerback Darrelle Revis and the New York defense are likely to keep the game close barring turnovers by its offensive unit.

Predictions:

If Benson tops 100 rushing yards, Bengals win 23-17.

If Sanchez has a turnover-free game, Jets win 24-23.

I am shocked to hear: New York Jets coach Rex Ryan rips Cincinnati Bengals for making 'excuses' in ...

New York

BY Rich Cimini

DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, January 9th 2010, 4:00 AM

CINCINNATI - It got hot inside the Jets' meeting room Friday night at their Cincinnati hotel, and it wasn't because somebody was fiddling with the thermostat.

On the eve of the playoffs, the Daily News has learned that Rex Ryan delivered a short but fiery speech in which he listed the myriad "excuses" used by the Bengals in the aftermath of their 37-0 loss to the Jets last Sunday, according to people in the room. Among them: A vanilla game plan. Resting starters. Nothing at stake.

"He's pissed," said one person at the team meeting. "He wants respect for this team."

Today, the Jets can shut up the critics - and the whiny Bengals.

After a wild regular season that included two three-game losing streaks, 20 Mark Sanchez interceptions, three fourth-quarter meltdowns, two Ted Ginn daggers, a Maurice Jones-Drew knee to the gut, an uncovered Tony Gonzalez and a Peyton Manning hook, the Jets play a wild-card rematch this afternoon at Paul Brown Stadium.

No more excuses. It's 'go' time. The Jets, the biggest long shot in the 12-team field (sorry, Rex, but Vegas says it's so), intend to stick around for awhile. They're determined to prove they're more than just the product of the Curtis Painter folly in Indianapolis.

"We're in it to win it," said tackle Damien Woody, who won two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. "We're not satisfied with just getting to the tournament and bowing out. We feel like we're going to go all the way. That's just our mind-set."

Said safety Kerry Rhodes: "We really feel like we have a chance to win it all, not just one game."

The fifth-seeded Jets (9-7) are remarkably confident for a team that received tremendous breaks in recent weeks, but there are good reasons for the positive vibe. They're hot (a 5-1 stretch run) and they're physical, boasting the league's top-ranked rushing attack and the No. 1 defense in points and yards allowed. That they smacked around the Bengals last week also didn't hurt their confidence.

"I won't be surprised when we win," Ryan said.

The Jets haven't won a playoff game since Jan. 8, 2005, a wild-card game in San Diego. This matchup features two old-school teams, run-heavy offenses that complement stifling defenses. Considering the similar styles, and the frigid conditions, this figures to be a low-scoring, field-position game.

And that's okay with Ryan, who believes it sets up perfectly for his defense, which has allowed only 47 points over the last six games. The No. 1 scoring defense has reached at least the divisional round every year since 1993, including five that won the Super Bowl.

Stefan Reiß's joke is bizarre: New York - Downtown Manhattan (New York)

This picture poked my funnybone so I know others might find it funny too. It's polite to have the url of the original New York image on the tiny chance that the publisher asked for a link.



Can you say that this photo of New York was worth looking at?

I just cannot believe it: NYC terror suspect pleads not guilty

New York City

One of the two suspects arrested on charges of plotting explosions in New York City has pleaded not guilty after a city judge charged him with making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The suspect Zarein Ahmedzay, an Afghan immigrant was arrested on Friday along with Adis Medunjanin, is linked with a terror plot that was allegedly planned by Najibullah Zazi, a Colorado shuttle driver.

Notably, Zazi, also an Afghan immigrant, was arrested and indicted last year on charges of plotting to blow up key areas in New York City.

Ahmedzay, who is alleged to have gone to Pakistan for training, appeared before a federal judge in US District Court in Brooklyn yesterday where he pleaded not guilty to the false statement.

He is accused of having lied about whether he knew whether some John Doe went to Pakistan for military training. 'John Doe' appears to be a reference to Zazi.

The other suspect Bosnian-born Adis Medunjanin is still in custody and yet to appear before a court.

Special Agent Richard Kolko said these two men were part of an ongoing terror investigation.

The arrests were made at a time when the Obama administration is reeling from its failure to prevent an attempt by a Nigerian to blow up a US plane on Christmas Day.

Ahmedzay, a US citizen was arrested while driving his car in Manhattan, is believed to have accompanied Zazi to an al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan in 2008.

Prosecutors have accused Ahmedzay of not providing accurate information about all the places he visited during this trip and about what he did there.

... contd.

I simply cannot believe it - FBI Arrests 2 more in New York Terrorism Probe

New York City

FBI Arrests 2 more in New York Terrorism Probe

Victoria Cavaliere | New York 08 January 2010

Two men have been arrested in connection with an ongoing terror investigation in New York City. One of the men, an Afghan-born taxi driver, has pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to U.S. federal agents. The second man, a Bosnian immigrant, is expected to be arraigned in the coming days on similar charges.

According to federal officials, 25-year-old Adis Medunjanin and 24-year-old Zarein Ahmedzay have been under intense scrutiny for months and their homes in the New York City borough of Queens were among those searched last September during a probe into a possible terror plot targeting the city's mass transit system.

Federal officials say the two men are former classmates and possible accomplices of Najibullah Zazi, a terrorism suspect charged with plotting to use weapons of mass destruction in New York City.

A senior agent with the FBI, Richard Kolko, would not give many details about the arrest, but said he believes both have ties to the indicted terror suspect.  "I can't discuss any specifics of that case but it is believed that both of these men are associates of Zazi," he said.

Federal officials say both men had traveled to Pakistan in 2008.

In the criminal complaint unsealed Friday, prosecutors say Ahmedzay did not tell federal authorities all of the places in Pakistan and Afghanistan he visited between August 2008 and January 2009 and denied receiving "military-type training" in Pakistan. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Charges against Medunjanin, a U.S. citizen who is originally from Bosnia, could come soon.  He was arrested after he crashed his car while driving in Queens. He had surrendered his passport to the FBI.

A lawyer for Medunjanin denies his client was involved in any terror plot. Attorney Robert Gottlieb also accused authorities of keeping his client away from legal counsel for too long. "He grew up in the same community as Zazi. Whether or not that triggered it or something else triggered the focus on him - I can't speak for the FBI and for our federal government. But that is not a substitute then for evidence that he is guilty of crimes that obviously he is being charged with. I don't know yet what they are and it certainly does not justify keeping him away from his lawyer for as long as they did," he said.

Najibullah Zazi, who is accused of receiving weapons training during a trip to Pakistan, has pleaded not guilty to plotting to use weapons of mass destruction. Federal officials had said that they believed that Zazi had not traveled alone to Pakistan, but no possible accomplices had been named.

Both Medunjanin and Ahmedzay are graduates of a high school in Queens and both were living and working in New York City. Ahmedzay had also reportedly recently applied to become a New York City firefighter.

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Is the New York Times finally catching up to the failures of the Obama programs?

Page 1A even tells how Obama's foreclosure measures made things worse, not better. Each day they seem to reveal something new about Obama's mistakes.