By David Cruz
Correspondent
Almost inaudible and looking frail at his first court appearance via video conference, Ahmad Khan Rahimi pleaded not guilty to state charges stemming from a shootout with Linden police officers on Sept. 19. He faces state charges of illegal weapons possession and attempted murder of five Linden police officers. More than a dozen cops from that city were in the courtroom this afternoon.
“That charges the defendant, again within the jurisdiction of this court, purposefully attempting to cause the death of Linden police officer number one by shooting him in the torso with a handgun in violation of our statutes,” said State Superior Court Judge Regina Caulfield. “And the other complaints all charge the defendant with the same crime which is the attempted murder of several police officers, and again they’re listed not by name but by number and that would be of course officers two, three, four and five.”
Rahimi still faces federal charges stemming from bombing incidents in New Jersey and New York almost a month ago, first at a charity race in Seaside Park on the morning of Sept. 17. There were no injuries in that blast. Rahimi is also accused of planting a device that exploded later that night in New York City, injuring 31 people. He is also suspected to have a connection with five other devices — one of which exploded while it was being defused in Elizabeth on Sept. 18.
“Mr. Rahimi has received the complaints long ago and I have also received them and I have reviewed each and every one of the complaints with him and I would ask the court to enter a not guilty plea on each of the complaints,” said Union County Deputy Public Defender Peter Liguori.
Rahimi’s appearance had been postponed while he recovered from injuries suffered during the shootout in Linden. The judge today said this case will referred to a grand jury and set bail at $5.2 million. No hearing date has been set for the federal charges.