On Wednesday, Assistant United States Attorney Patrick R. Fitzgerald filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against Niazi, which included five counts of making false statements, unlawful procurement of naturalization, use of a passport obtained by fraud, and perjury. Niazi was facing a maximum possible sentence of 35 years in jail.
Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to drop charges against the Afghan-born brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden’s bodyguard, saying a key overseas witness was unavailable to testify. The motion to dismiss was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles in the case against Ahmadullah Sais Niazi, who had been accused by prosecutors of lying about his ties to terrorist groups on his citizenship application.
