Ahmad Khan Rahimi, an American citizen of Afghan origin arrested in connection with bombing in New York and New Jersey in September this year in alleged acts of terrorism that injured over 130 people, was indicted in Manhattan federal court in an eight-count Indictment Nov. 16.
If convicted, Rahimi faces between 20 years to life in prison.
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Mary B. McCord, acting assistant attorney general for the National Security division, announced the indictment. “Two months ago, Ahmad Khan Rahimi allegedly planted bombs in the heart of Manhattan and in New Jersey. The bomb that exploded in Chelsea shattered windows hundreds of yards away and propelled a 100-pound dumpster over 120 feet, injuring over 30 people. Now indicted by a grand jury, Rahimi will face justice in a federal court for his alleged violent acts of terrorism,” Bharara said.
Rahimi, 28, who grew up in New Jersey, reportedly became radicalized in recent years after taking multiple trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He pleaded not guilty to the federal terrorism charges at his arraignment.
On Sept. 17, Rahimi transported two improvised explosive devices from New Jersey to New York. He placed one of the devices in the vicinity of 135 West 23rd Street in the Chelsea neighborhood and the other in the vicinity of 131 West 27th Street At approximately 8:30 p.m., the 23rd Street Bomb – consisting of a high explosive main charge – detonated, causing injuries to over 30 people and damaging multi-million dollars of property damage.
Rahimi is also the suspect in two other non-fatal, bomb-related incidents from that weekend in New Jersey – the bombing of a 5K run for the Marines in Seaside Park, and the discovery of undetonated pipe bombs at an NJ Transit station.
He was arrested by police two days later in Linden, N.J. Rahimi fired multiple shots at police, striking and injuring several police officers before he was shot, subdued, and placed under arrest.
In the course of his arrest, a handwritten journal was recovered from him, in which there were mentions, among other things, of explosive devices and laudatory references to Usama bin Laden, the former leader of al Qaeda, Anwar al-Awlaki, a former senior leader of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and Nidal Hasan, who shot and killed 13 people in Foot Hood, Texas.
In addition to the charges in Manhattan federal court, Rahimi also has been charged in New Jersey in a complaint with offenses in connection with his alleged efforts to detonate explosives in Seaside Park, and Elizabeth.
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