NEW YORK — Prosecutors say two al-Qaida leaders met with New York terror suspects in Pakistan and ordered them to conduct a suicide bomb attack on city subways.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Knox identified them as senior operative Saleh al-Somali and Rashid Rauf. Both died in strikes in the past year in Pakistan.
Knox made the disclosure in Brooklyn federal court Friday as Zarein Ahmedzay (zah-RAYN’ ah-MIHD’-zay) pleaded guilty to the suicide bomb plot last September.
Ahmedzay admitted to conspiracy to use weapons of destruction and providing material support to al-Qaida. He was charged with admitted al-Qaida associate Najibullah Zazi (nah-jee-BOO’-lah ZAH’-zee).
Authorities say they and another high school classmate from New York planned the attacks for days after the eighth anniversary of Sept. 11.
