Cabbie Charged In Terror Case Asks For Release
CHICAGO (CBS) - A local taxi driver charged with attempting to send money to a Pakistan-based terrorist has asked to be released from jail.
In a motion filed Tuesday in federal court, attorneys for Raja Lahrasib Khan ask U.S. District Judge James Zagel to let their client out of jail so he can help prepare his defense.
A status hearing was set for Tuesday, though it was not clear if Zagel would rule the same day on the motion for Khan's release.
Khan is charged with attempting to provide material aid to terrorism by sending cash to Pakistan-based terrorist leader Ilyas Kashmiri. The charges allege that Khan tried to send money from an undercover FBI agent to Kashmiri, who takes orders from Osama Bin Laden.
Khan also allegedly had a plan to bomb an unidentified U.S. stadium this summer.
Before being arrested, Khan worked as a cab driver in Chicago. In March, Doyle Caffrey of the Bridgeport neighborhood told CBS 2's Mike Parker he was involved in a head-on crash with Khan in 2005, while pulling the Walgreens parking lot at Belmont Avenue and Broadway. Although the police report said Khan was at fault, Khan later sued Caffrey because of back injuries he suffered, and collected $10,600 from Caffrey's insurance company shortly before his arrest.
Khan is now being held without bond.
Authorities say Khan and his activities do not pose an imminent threat to Americans.
Kashmiri, whose whereabouts are unknown, is charged with terrorist activity in an unrelated case in federal court.
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