Accused Seaside Park Terrorist Bomber Wants Some Charges Dropped: Report

The lawyer for Ahmed Khan Rahimi, the suspect in a group of September bomb attacks in New York and New Jersey, including the Seaside Park bombing, is trying to get charges from the gunfight with Linden Police dropped, according to nj.com.

Several pretrial motions were filed by Union County Deputy Public Defender Peter Liguori, who is representing Rahimi, on Feb. 13 to remove repetitive counts in the indictment.

Rahimi is currently charged with five counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement office following the Sept. 19 gunfight with Linden officers.

Liguori is claiming prosecutors failed to present sufficient evidence to support all the elements of the attempted murder charges, according to nj.com.

• See Related: NJ Man Was Funny, Mysterious Student Who Became Captured Terror Suspect, Reports Say

A motion was also filed to suppress any property authorities seized with a warrant, and a motion for a change of venue to move the trial to another courthouse, according to nj.com.

Liguori also requested the ability to question each prospective juror, according to nj.com.

Rahimi is accused of being responsible for the following incidents: a pipe bomb that exploded in a trash can at a charity 5K run for armed services veterans in Seaside Park; a Chelsea explosion that happened later that day; and five explosive devices found near Elizabeth train station.

• See Related: Pipe Bomb Explodes Along 5K Seaside Park Racecourse on Jersey Shore
• See Related: Chelsea Explosion Latest: 29 Injured in New York City Blast

Rahimi was charged with four counts related to the attacks. In addition to the weapons of mass destruction charge, Rahami is charged with bombing a place of public use, destruction of property by means of fire or explosive, and use of a destructive device during and in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Rahami is also charged in federal court in New Jersey with a separate five count complaint.

• See Related: New Details Emerge In Federal Charges Filed Against Ahmad Rahami for Bomb Attacks

Rahimi is currently being held in a New Jersey State Prison.

• See Related: Alleged Elizabeth Bombing Terrorist Moved To NJ State Prison

Reported and written by Alexis Tarrazi (Patch Staff)

Ahmed Khan Rahimi photo via FBI; Seaside Park bomb site via Ocean County Prosecutor's Office