SACRAMENTO (California), Feb 17: A 23-year-old California man never trained in Pakistan to become a terrorist as the federal government alleges, his defence lawyer said on Thursday during the opening of his trial.

Attorney Wazhma Mojaddidi said Hamid Hayat was tired after a long trip from Pakistan when he told the FBI in June that he had attended terrorist training camps. Hayat, questioned along with his father, Umer Hayat, told investigators what they wanted to hear, Mr Mojaddidi said.

Mr Mojaddidi said Hamid Hayat “exaggerates and lies,” but “never attended a terrorist training camp.”

Federal prosecutors countered Hayat underwent training to carry out terrorist attacks in the United States on hospitals and supermarkets and was waiting for orders when apprehended at his home in Lodi, California last year.—Reuters