NJ Synagogue Bomb Suspect Charged In Murder Plot To Appear In Court
HACKENSACK, N.J (CBSNewYork) -- A man accused of trying to firebomb New Jersey synagogues is expected to be in court Friday to face new charges that he allegedly plotted to kill an assistant Bergen County prosecutor working on the case.
Aakash Dalal, 20, is charged with conspiring to kill Assistant Prosecutor Martin Delaney.
Since May, the FBI has been investigating Dalal after learning that he wanted to get a gun and kill Delaney once he was released from jail, officials said.
On Wednesday, investigators executed a search warrant on Dalal's cell and found evidence of the plot, prosecutors said. They also found a list of "enemies" the suspect kept that included Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli, according to authorities.
Dalal was due to be released from the Bergen County Jail this week after posting $1 million bail.
Dalal has been jailed since March on charges in connection with a series of attacks on synagogues in Bergen County, including the firebombing of a rabbi's home.
The firebombings occurred at the Temple Beth-El in Rutherford on Jan. 11 and at a synagogue in Paramus on Jan. 3.
Dalal, who faces arson, bias intimidation and criminal mischief charges in connection with the attacks, pleaded not guilty in March.
A second suspect, Anthony Graziano, has also pleaded not guilty. He faces multiple charges including attempted murder.
Graziano is accused of actually throwing a Molotov cocktail through the window and onto the bed of Rabbi Nosson Schuman in the Rutherford attack, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors contend Dalal encouraged and inspired Graziano to carry out firebombings, saying that "Dalal was the teacher" and Graziano "was the student."
"It was Mr. Dalal that directed in how to make it, how often to throw it, how to throw it in a way that it would cause the most damage," Molinelli said back in March. "Mr. Dalal was actually the instigator of these incidents, advised Mr. Graziano where on the Internet he could find out how to make a Molotov cocktail."
Dalal is now charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to possess a firearm for an unlawful purpose and terroristic threats.
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