Suspect faces charges in NYC bomb plot

A suspected lone wolf terrorist who police said was inspired by Internet jihadists was indicted Wednesday on charges he was constructing a pipe bomb to use against returning American military personnel in New York City.

Jose Pimentel, 27, of Washington Heights, was charged with various crimes under state law as terrorism offenses, including conspiracy, criminal possession of a weapon and attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He has been in custody since November.

The designation of the crimes as terror offenses means Pimentel faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life if convicted of the weapons charge as a terrorist act, said a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.

"As charged by the grand jury, Jose Pimentel engaged in a plot to build improvised explosive devices and use them to commit acts of violent jihad," said Vance in a statement. "He crossed the line from violent rhetoric on his Internet site to building pipe bombs to be used against our citizens."

"The indictment illustrates the fact that a dangerous plan to kill and injure soldiers returning to New York was disrupted by good police work, especially by the NYPD Intelligence Division," said NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Pimentel was arrested in an NYPD undercover operation in which a confidential informant allegedly discussed plans with him to build pipe bombs from items bought at local 99-cent stores and Home Depot.

The original criminal complaint filed against Pimentel said he maintained the website "True Islam," which advocated violence against U.S. citizens and published bomb instructions taken from the magazine Inspire.

According to law enforcement officials, Inspire is published by the terror group al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

The NYPD said Pimentel was on the verge of building an incendiary pipe bomb at the time of his arrest on Nov. 19.

Some law enforcement sources afterward said the FBI decided not to get involved in the case because of concerns about the use of a confidential informant who was working closely with the defendant and a sense that the case wasn't substantial.

Pimentel's lawyers, Lori Cohen and Susan Walsh, told The Associated Press the case "certainly is not terrorism."

They say the lonely, curious 27-year-old was "prime pickings" for a self-serving police informant.

They had repeatedly waived earlier deadlines for an indictment in the case, leading to speculation a plea bargain was being discussed. Pimentel is next due in court on March 13.