Imam due back in court to face NYC terror charges

NEW YORK (AP) - An imam is due back in court to faces charges he lied to FBI agents investigating an Afghan immigrant who was later charged with plotting a bomb attack in New York City.

Ahmad Afzali (AKH'-mahd ahf-ZAH'-lee) is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Brooklyn federal court. He was arrested in September amid an investigation of Colorado airport van driver Najibullah Zazi (nah-jee-BOO'-lah ZAH'-zee).

Zazi has been accused of receiving training from al-Qaida to build homemade bombs in a possible plot to attack the New York transit system.

Prosecutors allege that the 53-year-old Afzali telephoned Zazi after being questioned by police and told Zazi he was under surveillance. They say he then lied by claiming he never tipped off Zazi - a charge he has denied.