Dad Gets Plea Deal In Terror Case

A man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a lesser charge rather than be retried on allegations that he lied to the FBI about his son's attendance at a terrorist training camp, according to court papers.

Under a deal struck with prosecutors, Umer Hayat, 48, an ice cream vendor, will plead guilty to lying to customs agents about money he was carrying on a Pakistan trip three years ago and other charges will be dismissed, the papers said.

The retrial had been scheduled to begin Monday. Hayat's first trial ended last month in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked on two counts alleging that he lied to the FBI.

"This outcome was not, of course, the one most desired by the government," said U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott. "However ... our region is safer today than it was one year ago."

Hayat smiled as he left the federal courthouse, but he would not comment. His lawyer said he was happy the case was over.

His son, Hamid Hayat, 23, was convicted of supporting terrorism by attending an al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan in 2003 and lying to the FBI. He faces at least 30 years in prison when he is sentenced July 14.

Under the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend that the elder Hayat serve no more time beyond the nearly one year he spent in prison after he and his son were arrested in June, according to lawyer Wazhma Mojaddidi, who represents Hayat's son.

However, that recommendation will not be binding on U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr.