Death penalty trial for man accused of New York City bike path terror attack begins
Brady Knox
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The trial of an Islamic State-affiliated Uzbek immigrant, who is accused of killing eight people with a rented truck, opened on Monday.
Sayfullo Saipov, 34, is accused of using a rented Home Depot truck to ram over a dozen and a half people on a New York City bike lane on Oct. 31, 2017, in order to gain acceptance into the terror group. He has pled not guilty to the 28-count indictment that charges him with eight counts of murder, 18 counts of attempted murder, and other terrorism-related charges, according to CNN.
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His plea of not guilty makes him eligible for the federal death penalty. Federal prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty, and this is the first federal death penalty trial under President Joe Biden’s administration. If he is found guilty, it will be the first federal death penalty in Manhattan since the Cold War espionage trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg in 1953.
“Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov caused injury, harm, and loss to the families and friends of Diego Enrique Angelini, Nicholas Cleves, Ann-Laure Decadt, Darren Drake, Ariel Erlij, Hernan Ferruchi, Hernan Diego Mendoza, and Alejandro Damian Pagnucco,” the prosecution said, according to court documents viewed by ABC News.
Five of the victims were Argentinian tourists visiting the city for their 30th high school graduation, another was a Belgian tourist, while the two remainders were American.
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Investigators found thousands of pictures and videos of Islamic State propaganda on Saipov’s phone, including videos showing the beheadings of prisoners. He reportedly told investigators that he was inspired by the terror group’s propaganda to carry out the attack and decorated his truck with its flag during the attack.
The attack was the deadliest terror attack in New York City since the Sept. 11 terror attacks.