Suspect in Port Authority bombing heads to trial Monday

Jury selection begins Monday in the trial of a  man accused of detonating a pipe bomb in a Times Square subway station almost a year ago.

Prosecutors allege Akayed Ullah made the bomb in his Brooklyn apartment, strapped it to his body and then attempted to blow himself up in a pedestrian tunnel under 42nd Street on Dec. 11 during morning rush hour.

Prosecutors have said Ullah is a terrorist, pointing to statements he made after his arrest that he acted in aid of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS.

Ullah, a Bangladeshi-born immigrant , is facing up to life in prison on a six-count indictment charging him with providing material support to ISIS, use of a weapon of mass destruction, committing a terror attack against a mass transportation system and other crimes. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The trial, taking place in U.S. District Court in Manhattan before Judge Richard Sullivan, is expected to last one to two weeks.

The trial comes days after pipe bombs were delivered to CNN’s Manhattan office and to prominent Democrats, including former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Ullah was age 27 at the time of the attack. He was married and the father of a preschooler, both of whom were living in Bangladesh.

Since coming to the United States in 2011, Ullah had worked as a car-service driver and an electrician.

Prosecutors allege that Ullah came to hate the United States after watching ISIS videos. Last week, Judge Sullivan ruled that jurors could be shown the videos.

Ullah and three others were injured when he detonated the pipe bomb, which consisted of screws, Christmas lights and a nine-volt battery. No one died in the attack.

By James T. Madore

james.madore@newsday.comJamesTMadore

James T. Madore writes about Long Island business news including the economy, development, and the relationship between government and business. He previously served as Albany bureau chief.