The alleged mastermind behind bombings in New York and New Jersey in September has been granted more time to prepare his defense after a federal judge on Friday set a new trial date.
U.S. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan set an Oct. 2 trial date for Ahmad Khan Rahimi, 29, who faces life in prison on an eight-count indictment related to two Sept. 17 bombings in the Chelsea section of New York City and another bombing earlier in the day in Seaside Park in New Jersey, according to court records.
Rahimi, who was born in Afghanistan but living in Linden, also faces separate federal and state charges in New Jersey in separate trials that have yet to be scheduled for an attempted bombing on Sept. 18 in Elizabeth and a shootout with police the following day before he was arrested in Linden.
Berman initially had set March 27 for Rahimi's trial in Manhattan but Rahimi's defense attorney had argued for more time to prepare against charges that could result in life in prison for the man prosecutors say is responsible for injuring more than 30 people and causing millions in damage.
Ahmad Khan Rahimi pleads not guilty to N.Y., N.J. bombings
In New York, Rahimi is charged with using a weapon of mass destruction, attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, destroying property by means of fire or explosive, attempting to destroy property by means of fire or explosive, interstate transport and reception of explosives and two counts of using a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said at the time that the explosives, contained in two separate pressure cookers, were designed to cause maximum damage. One, placed in a Dumpster near 135 W. 23d St. in Chelsea, was so powerful that it propelled the 100-pound Dumpster more than 120 feet and blew out windows as far as 400 feet away and three stories high. More than 30 people were injured in the blast, Bharara has said.
A second bomb placed near 131 W. 27th St. failed to detonate and was found by police.
Rahimi is also accused of placing a bomb earlier that morning in a trashcan along the route of the Semper Five Marine Corps Charity 5K race in Seaside Park. That resulted in no injuries because the race start had been delayed.
He also is accused of placing a backpack containing five bombs in a trashcan at the NJ Transit train station in Elizabeth on Sept. 18. A homeless man found the backpack and carried it a short distance before he discovered the bombs and notified the police.
One of the bombs detonated as a police robot tried to defuse it.
He was arrested Sept. 19 after a shootout with police when he was spotted sleeping on the steps of a bar in Linden.
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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