DOCUMENT: Crime

Shoe Bomber Plea Deal In Works

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Shoe Bomber Plea Deal In Works

Accused terrorist Richard Reid, arrested last year for trying to blow up an airplane with explosives hidden in his sneakers, has offered to plead guilty to federal charges that could land him in prison for life. The offer, made today (10/2) by defense attorney Owen Walker, comes shortly after Reid lost court bids to have a variety of government evidence suppressed, including detailed statements Reid gave to the FBI following his arrest last December. In those chilling bureau interviews, memorialized in the two FBI reports you'll find below, Reid provided a detailed description of the bomb's construction, spoke of being "happy and surprised to learn of the World Trade Center bombings," and claimed that "America is the problem, without America there would be no Israel." Reid also told agents that such democratic countries, "permit homosexuality, fornication, alcoholism, and drug addiction--all sins that are not condoned by God." While prosecutors contend that Reid was aided by an al-Qaeda bomb maker, the 29-year-old British citizen has repeatedly claimed to have acted alone. (13 pages)

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