Also Read- Bangladesh police interrogate wife, relatives of New York blast suspect
He was charged in a criminal complaint filed in Manhattan federal court with providing material in support to a foreign terrorist organization, bombing a public place, destruction of property by means of explosive and use of a destructive device. After the blast, Akayed told police interviewers that “I did it for the Islamic State,” according to court papers filed by federal prosecutors. According to the documents, he also told investigators that he had been motivated by American air strikes on Islamic State target. The complaint stated that Akayed had used materials that included Christmas lights to make the device and it was affixed to his body with Velcro straps.
Prosecutor Joom Kim told reporters that metal pipes, pieces of wire and metal screws, which were consistent with the bomb materials were recovered from the suspect's home in Brooklyn. The prosecutor said Akayed had admitted that he began researching how to build bombs about a year ago, and had been planning this particular attack for several weeks. He had selected the location and timing "to maximise casualties," Kim added. Akayed immigrated to the US on a family visa in 2011. However, his wife did not join him in the US. She and other family members are now being questioned to try to understand how he was radicalised. Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said Akayed had no criminal record in Bangladesh and had last visited the country on September 8. Trump has taken the attack to drum support for his immigration ban, which, the White House said, would have prevented the attacker from entering the US.UPDATE: Akayed Ullah, the suspect arrested in yesterday’s terror attack in NYC, has been charged with the following: • Criminal Possession of a Weapon • Support Act of Terrorism • Making Terroristic Threat#NYPDprotecting
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 12, 2017