CNN 2010-05-20

We are hearing now from a suspected terrorist in his own words.  CNN has obtained two e-mails from Faisal Shahzad, you know, the man charged with the failed car bombings of New York's Times Square.

Well, Shahzad voiced his frustrations¹ with the state of the Muslim world and sought a way to, quote, "fight back."  One e-mail was sent to a large group of people four years ago.  The other sent to a slightly smaller group as recent as last year.

The FBI has read the e-mails and interviewed some of those who received them and according to court documents, Shahzad has admitted to the failed attack and that he recently received bomb-making training in Pakistan.

Remember it was just two weeks ago today that Faisal Shahzad was taken into custody² as he was trying to flee the country.  But during that time, he has not appeared in court a single time.

It's really an exceptional situation and CNN's Allan Chernoff has been looking into it.

The legal clock began ticking Monday night May 3rd at 11:45 pm when Faisal Shahzad was arrested here at Terminal 4 of JFK airport.  Customs and Border Patrol agents pulled Shahzad off of an Emirates plane that was about to depart for Dubai.

The US Attorney's Office said Shahzad would appear before a judge the next day.

Early the next morning, media was staked out, hoping to see the alleged³ Times Square bomber⁴ at the US courthouse.  They kept waiting and waiting for Shahzad's appearance, called a presentment before Judge Kevin Fox.

But as reporters were waiting, federal agents were making progress interrogating⁵ Shahzad, even after reading him his Miranda rights to remain silent and consult an attorney.

And by the end of the day, the US attorney was doing an about- face.  There would be no court appearance for Shahzad that day.

I don't know of another time this has happened.  I haven't heard of another time that this has happened.

In all criminal prosecutions⁶ the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial," begins the 6th Amendment⁷.  Shahzad is a US citizen.  Are his rights being violated? Not at all, according to Manhattan's US attorney.

He has waived⁸ his right to speedy presentment and he has waved that right every day and has done so voluntarily.

That criminal procedure, experts say, is easing the way for prosecutors⁹ to gain valuable information from Shahzad since there is no court-ordered detention¹⁰ for him.

Defendants¹¹ awaiting an initial court appearance are often held here at the Metropolitan¹² Correctional Center which is right across the street from the US courthouse.  But former prosecutors and veteran defense¹³ attorneys say it's unlikely that Shahzad is staying here.

They say the government is almost certainly providing him with much more comfortable accommodations.

Is it likely they've got him in some hotel?

I bet they do have him in a hotel. Again, I can't give you the specific name of the hotel because I don't know.  But they do have him in a hotel.  He's in a room, he's probably not alone in a room.  And I would say there would be an agent there 24/7.

Former federal agents tell CNN they have kept defendants in drug and terror cases at well-guarded hotels outside of Manhattan.  Even a kind of safe house is a possibility.  The FBI says only Shahzad is in a secure location.

Shahzad does have the right at any time to say he wants to appear before a judge.  But if he doesn't, the US attorney says they'll keep Shahzad out of court as he has been for 14 days and counting as long as he's useful.

At such time that he ceases to continue to cooperate or we've gotten all the information that is necessary to do our job in protecting the public, he'll go out to court.
 

1 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

2 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

3 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

4 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

5 interrogating   

n.询问技术v.询问( interrogate的现在分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• She was no longer interrogating but lecturing. 她已经不是在审问而是在教训人了。 来自辞典例句
• His face remained blank, interrogating, slightly helpless. 他的面部仍然没有表情，只带有询问的意思，还有点无可奈何。 来自辞典例句

6 prosecutions   

起诉( prosecution的名词复数 )； 原告； 实施； 从事

参考例句：

• It is the duty of the Attorney-General to institute prosecutions. 检察总长负责提起公诉。
• Since World War II, the government has been active in its antitrust prosecutions. 第二次世界大战以来，政府积极地进行着反对托拉斯的检举活动。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

8 waived   

v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• He has waived all claim to the money. 他放弃了索取这笔钱的权利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I waived the discourse, and began to talk of my business. 我撇开了这个话题，开始讲我的事情。 来自辞典例句

9 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

10 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

11 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

12 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

13 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。