Afghan-born men in U.S. court in suspected bomb plot

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents search the apartment of Najibullah Zazi in Aurora, Colorado September 16, 2009.

DENVER (Reuters) - A Colorado airport shuttle driver at the center of a U.S. investigation into a suspected bombing plot was ordered on Monday to remain in custody, at least until a further hearing into the matter later this week.

A U.S. magistrate judge told Najibullah Zazi, who was arrested on Saturday with his father, 53-year-old Mohammed Wali Zazi, to return to court on Thursday for a bond hearing.

The younger Zazi, a 24-year-old Afghan native who authorities say has admitted to taking bomb-making courses at an al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan, has been charged along with his father and a New York cleric with lying to the FBI.

Federal authorities are investigating whether Zazi and others were planning to blow up subway or train stations in New York, or whether there were other plots.

Officials have yet to identify specific targets or determine how close the suspects were to carrying out any plot. More arrests and additional charges could follow, they said.

Meanwhile, a U.S. Homeland Security Department spokeswoman acknowledged that an advisory has been issued "to remind transit authorities to remain vigilant."

U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer granted the elder Zazi's release on $50,000 bond and placed him on home confinement and electronic monitoring.

"The government is still collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses," Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff said during a hearing in Denver for Zazi and his father.

Earlier, 37-year-old Ahmad Wais Afzali, a New York City-based imam, was ordered to remain in custody at least until Thursday by a federal magistrate judge in Brooklyn.

EVIDENCE FOUND ON COMPUTER

A key piece of evidence, according to FBI affidavits, is a laptop computer seized from the younger Zazi's rental car, which had an image of handwritten instructions on making and handling explosive devices.

The affidavits say the younger Zazi lied when he told agents he had never seen the document, which the FBI traced to three email accounts he controlled.

One affidavit said Zazi admitted during questioning by the FBI that he had received instruction on weapons and explosives at an al Qaeda training facility during a trip to Pakistan in 2008.

His father is accused of falsely denying that he knew or had been in contact with Afzali.

Afzali is charged with lying when he told agents he never warned Zazi or his father that they were under surveillance and their phone calls were being monitored.

Afzali, who delivers sermons at New York City mosques and operates a funeral home, has cooperated with New York police in the past, providing information about people of interest in terrorism investigations.

The FBI says he learned that Zazi was under suspicion when police showed him pictures of Zazi during a period of heightened alert in New York coinciding with the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

The investigation has extended overseas and involved extensive monitoring and surveillance of the suspects, officials said.

Zazi, who appeared in court dressed in a yellow plaid shirt and jeans, spoke only in response to Shaffer's questions, saying he understood the charges against him.

Afzali, his bald head uncovered in court, had a long beard and wore tan robes. He blew kisses to family members in the gallery as he was led out of court and back to jail.

Outside the courthouse, Afzali's lawyer, Ron Kuby, denied that his client had lied to the FBI and said that Afzali had made the calls to Zazi in response to requests by authorities.

"They have made a mistake here," Kuby said, pointing out that Afzali had told Zazi the conversation was being monitored. "Why in the world would Afzali lie to the FBI about the contents of a conversation that he knew they had on tape?"

(Writing by Dan Whitcomb; Additional reporting by Christine Kearney in New York and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Chris Wilson)