Staff Reporter: Akayed Ullah, a Bangladeshi youth, has been sentenced to life in prison by a federal court in Manhattan for attempting to bomb the Manhattan Port Authority bus terminal in New York. Local time on Thursday (April 22), Manhattan Federal Judge Richard J. Sullivan sentenced Akayed Ullah, 31, to life in prison and another 30 years in prison. On December 11, 2017, Akayed carried out a suicide bombing at the Manhattan Port Authority bus terminal in New York. In some states in the United States, life sentences are sentenced to 25 years. As a result, Akayed will have to stay in jail for as long as he lives.
The sentence was handed down after Akayed Ullah apologized in court, saying what he did was wrong.
“I can tell you from the bottom of my heart I’m deeply sorry for what I did,” Ullah said. “I apologize to NYC, to law enforcement, and to this country. I never support harming innocent people.”
Prosecutors said Ullah wanted to “terrorize as many people as possible” and they pushed for a life sentence. While Ullah was the only one seriously hurt in the blast assistant US Attorney Rebekah Donaleski told the judge “that happened despite the defendant’s best efforts.”
Surveillance video from December 2017 showed Ullah detonate a bomb that was strapped to his chest inside the Times Square subway station.
Akayed claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the judge described the attack as barbaric and a heinous crime. In 2017, Akayed detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) on his way from the Time Square subway station to Manhattan’s Port Authority bus terminal. Three policemen were injured when the bomb did not explode properly.
After his arrest, New York police said he confessed under interrogation that he tried to carry out the attack, inspired by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). A senior New York law enforcement official said after the investigation that Aqeed Ullah had made the explosives in the workplace himself. Four people were injured in the incident.
Akayed Ullah had a license to drive taxis and limousines in New York City. The license was valid from 2012 to 2015. The license was not renewed after May 2015. However, he did not have a license to drive Yellow Taxi or Uber in the city.
Bangladeshi Akayed Ullah used to make bombs at his workplace.
Akayed and his family lived in Brooklyn, New York City. Alan Butriko lives right next to the house where they lived. He said Akayed lived in a basement room. His sister lived on the second floor. His brother also lived in the same building. “For the last two nights before the incident, there were fights, screams and cries from Akayed’s house,” Butriko said. This has been going on for the last two nights. They said they heard cries and groans. But did not understand what happened. The police were not informed. But before leaving the house on the day of the incident, Akayed posted a status on Facebook to former US President Trump. While investigating the incident, the police found his status. His status is – “Trump, you are failing to defend your country.”
Following Aqeed’s arrest, it was alleged that Aqeed Ullah was a member of the pro-Jamaat Muslim Ummah of North America-Muna in New York. After the allegation, Muna president Delwar Hossain denied it, saying the accused was not a member of Muna. We record the names and addresses of each of our members. Even the names of the guests who came to any of our events are recorded.
Akayed Ullah’s country home is in Sandwip, Chittagong. Akayed, who grew up in Dhaka, immigrated to the United States about 12 years ago. He lived there with his mother, sister and two brothers. However, his wife lived in Dhaka with her children.
BP/SM
