Pakistani Charged With Reporting Fake Terror Plot Against Bridge
POSTED: 3:20 pm EST November 3, 2004
NEW YORK -- A Pakistani man was charged Wednesday with lying to the FBI about a purported terrorist plot to destroy the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
Tanveer Choudhry, 32, who had a pending application for asylum in the United States, allegedly concocted the story to win favor from authorities.
Choudhry was awaiting arraignment in federal court in Brooklyn on charges of making false statements.
Court papers allege Choudhry contacted the FBI on Oct. 1 to report that a customer at a Brooklyn gas station where he worked sought to enlist him in a terrorist attack. He claimed the customer and unidentified "brothers" wanted to hijack two gasoline trucks so they could "burn the bridge."
The customer told Choudhry he "should do something to secure his life after death," and offered him $5,000 to join the plot, according to his alleged story.
On Oct. 5, after being given a polygraph test, Choudhry admitted he lied, authorities said. He said he and the customer spoke about "the possibility" someone might attack the bridge, but never discussed a plot to do it themselves, court papers said.