The alleged Queens accomplice of subway bomber Najibullah Zazi pled not guilty to charges that he underwent terrorist boot-camp in Pakistan, and that he was helping Zazi plan an attack on New York. Lawyers say 25-year-old Medunjanin was illegally interrogated by the police, when they weren't present. They claim that—despite appearances—their client was not fleeing from police when he got into the car accident that led to his arrest on January 7.
Some sources say Medunjanin may have been attempting suicde when he crashed his car near the Whitestone Bridge. The Daily News reported Medunjanin called 911 before barreling into another car and yelled in Arabic: "We love death more than you love life! There is only one Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger!" The wreck occurred after FBI agents raided the man's house and took his passport. They caught the suspected terrorist as he was attempting to run on foot from the scene. "Before we conclude any significance to what we've heard about that 911 call, I urge everybody let's wait and see what the evidence really is," said his lawyer outside the courtroom.
Medunjanin traveled to Pakistan in 2008 together with two Flushing High School classmates, Zazi and Zarein Ahmedzay, a taxi driver also arrested for terrorist plotting on January 7. Although he formerly admitted to authorities that he'd undergone training with Al Qaeda terrorists, he denied that charge yesterday, and also said he was not involved in planning of a 9/11-scale attack on the United States. Other than to plead not guilty, Medunjanin was silent during his arraignment.
