At the prosecutors' request, endorsed by the Shahzad, Judge Theodore Katz put off the first hearing until June 21. "The granting of such a continuance best serves the ends of justice and outweighs the best interests of the public and the defendant in a speedy trial," he said in a statement.
Shahzad, a 30-year-old Pakistani-born naturalised US citizen, was arrested apparently trying to flee the country on a flight to Dubai on May 3, on charges of leaving a bomb-packed SUV in the bustling heart of New York's Times Square. Officials have said he has cooperated fully with investigators after repeatedly waiving his legal Miranda rights, which protect detainees from incriminating themselves, and had also waived his right to a speedy court appearance and a lawyer.
Based on information provided by Shahzad, US authorities have carried out several raids in the US northeast, including a May 13 operation that led to the detention of three suspects from Pakistan accused of funneling money to him.
Shahzad faces five charges, including attempted use of weapons of mass destruction and attempting acts of terrorism across national boundaries, both of which carry maximum sentences of life in prison.
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