While Rahimi wasn’t charged for terrorism, his father, Mohammed Rahimi, had warned the FBI in 2014 that his son may have been radicalized.
A New Jersey man accused of planting bombs in New York City and New Jersey and who was allegedly inspired by ISIS and al-Qaida was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, according to NBC News.
Ahmad Khan Rahimi, a naturalized U. S. citizen born in Afghanistan, was convicted in October in connection to an explosive device that detonated in a dumpster in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, injuring 30, as well as another bomb placed nearby that did not detonate.
He is also accused of planting bombs on a race route and a train station in New Jersey.
Rahimi was arrested in 2016 after engaging in a gunfight with police, who later found a notebook in which he praised Islamic terrorists and promised violence.
“The sounds of bombs will be heard in the streets,” he wrote.
While Rahimi wasn’t charged for terrorism, his father, Mohammad Rahimi, had warned the FBI in 2014 his son may have been radicalized.
“After two months, they say, ‘Your son is not doing any act like a terrorist,’” said Rahami, according to NBC News. “I said, ‘You sure he not doing anything?’ He say, ‘Yeah, is good news.’”
“My son, he did wrong, and the FBI did the wrong, too,” the father added. “The government is responsible for that reason. They have the power to stop the crime, and they did not stop the crime.”
In the trial, Ahmad Rahimi criticized the FBI, which said that the father had not sufficiently informed them of Rahimi’s interest in terrorist organizations.
The bomber’s father has said his son was remorseful and thankful that no one was killed in the explosions.
“I don’t harbor hate toward anyone,” Ahmad Rahimi said.
