New York Correspondent
New York, Oct 21 A Grand Jury will decide whether charges will finally be framed against Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Hasan Nafis, who was arrested by FBI in a 'sting operation' in New York over a 'bomb plot'.
"This is not the stage to say whether Nafis is guilty or not," Brooklyn Federal Court's spokesperson Robert Nardoza told bdnews24.com on Saturday (New York Time).
"If the Grand Jury opines that final charges should be pressed against Nafis, then the hearing will start and Nafis' statement will be recorded. He can then claim innocence or accept charges against him."
Meanwhile, New York's human rights lawyer Ashok Karmakar told bdnews24.com, "Usually the sensational cases are sent to the 12-member Grand Jury these days. Nafis' case is one of the most sensational cases in recent times."
"However, the Grand Jury Board will only listen to the statement of the investigating officer and will see documents submitted by him. Based on that, they will decide whether the case should continue," he explained.
"Even though, the accused has no option to represent his case at this time, the Grand Jury can play a major role in ensuring justice."
Nafis has currently been kept in Brooklyn Prison. Court officials said that the date for his hearing will be set based on the Grand Jury's opinion.
Robert Nardoza said that he has been sent to prison with non-bailable detention.
Meanwhile, Bangladeshi expatriates in New York have planned a human-chain demonstration at Jackson Heights on Sunday evening (Monday 4am Bangladesh time) from which they will demand release of Nafis if he is the victim of any conspiracy or exemplary punishment if he is found guilty.
The bomb charge
The US Department of Justice said in a statement on Wednesday that Nafis had been charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and provide material support to al Qaeda. He faces life sentence in prison, if convicted.
The FBI also alleged Nafis parked a van laden with 'explosives' in front of the bank in Manhattan and went to the adjacent Millennium Hilton Hotel. From there, he repeatedly tried to set off the mobile phone detonator of the 1000-pound bomb. However, it did not explode as the explosive was fake, FBI said.
The NYPD said that Nafis was led on by an undercover FBI agent into their trap. He was under surveillance since July after he tried to search reliable associates to carry out the attack on behalf of al-Qaeda.
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