Feds Preparing Criminal Charges Against Alleged Al-Qaeda Terrorist Najibullah Zazi

"In addition to [alleged Al-Qaeda Terrorist] Mr. Zazi, at least one other man in Denver and one in New York were expected to be facing charges, officials said."---New York Times (9-19-09)

UPDATES: Zazi and his father arrested in Aurora---Denver Post (9-19-09); See the FBI press release (9-20-09)

The New York Times (9-19-09) reports:

Federal authorities were preparing to file criminal charges on Saturday night against a 24-year-old Denver shuttle bus driver, and two others as part of an ongoing federal terrorism investigation stretching from New York to Colorado to overseas, government officials said.

The news came on a day of dizzying twists after the shuttle driver, Najibullah Zazi, declined to sit for a fourth day of intense questioning by F.B.I. agents in Denver, choosing instead to consult with his lawyer.

In addition to Mr. Zazi, at least one other man in Denver and one in New York were expected to be facing charges, officials said.

The identity of the two men, besides Mr. Zazi, who would face criminal charges was not clear.

A criminal complaint was expected to be filed charging the men with crimes other than terrorism — like lying to the government. The development was a clear signal that the authorities had reached a stage in the investigation where they had decided to go ahead with some charges, rather than allowing the men to remain at large, and to figure out the scope of potential wrongdoing and terrorist activity as time went on. [Full text]