NEW YORK, May 25: A Pakistani immigrant was pronounced guilty on Wednesday in a plot to blow up Herald Square subway station in Manhattan in August 2004.

After two days of deliberations, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted 23-year-old Shahawar Matin Siraj of conspiracy and other charges. He could spend rest of his life in jail.

Prosecutors say he was planning to attack the subway station in retaliation for the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. Siraj maintained that he was entrapped by a police informer .

Siraj and co-conspirator James El Shafay were arrested a day before the Republican National Convention was held at Madison Square Garden in 2004.

El Shafay later pleaded guilty and testified against Siraj.

During the trail, prosecutors played tapes where Siraj laughed about the Sept 11 attacks and said he wanted to cause economic harm to the US.

Siraj now faces life in prison when he is sentenced in October.

His mother who attended the trial was distraught and charged that her son was framed.

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

WHILE launching the Economic Survey 2026, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told a hopeful story of economic...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...