Imam in Najibullah Zazi case leaves US

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A New York-based Imam, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI during the probe into the Najibullah Zazi terror plot case, has left the US for Saudi Arabia.
Imam Ahmad Afzali left with his wife on a 2 pm flight to Jeddah, according to Afzali’s attorney, Mr Ron Kuby.
Authorities had sought the help of Afzali, who was a reliable police source, while working to foil the terror plot by Najibullah Zazi, an airport van driver who plotted to blow up New York City subway stations.
Afzali, who had tipped the 25-year-old shuttle driver from Colorado that he was being investigated by the FBI avoided a prison sentence but was told to leave the country within three months at his sentencing in April.
“Imam Afzali did his best to assist authorities when they asked for his help,” said Mr Kuby, according to CNN. Mr Kuby said his client was the victim of a turf war between the New York police department and FBI over the terrorism investigation.
“For his part, he leaves the United States with great sadness and no bitterness,” he said. “The United States is the only home he knows; this country remains home to his parents, his children, and his brothers,” Mr Kuby said. Mr Afzali cannot return to US without special permission and could be deported to Afghanistan in case he did so. “I take full responsibility for my actions,” Mr Afzali said in a Brooklyn federal court.
“Honest to God, it was never my intention to help those idiots for what they do in the name of Islam”.
In March, the 38-year-old Afghan born man pleaded guilty on the charge of lying to the Feds. “When I was asked whether I had told Zazi about law enforcement being interested in him, I lied and said I did not. My intention was not to protect Zazi but to protect myself,” Mr Afzali told the judge.