A grand jury indicted Akayed Ullah, who was accused of trying to blow up a suicide bomb in New York City in December, on terrorism charges, Wednesday.
Ullah, 27, is from Bangladesh and was thought to be carrying out the attack in the name of the Islamic State, according to Reuters.
Officials are also charging Ullah with supporting a foreign terrorist organization, and for using a weapon of mass destruction to commit a terrorist attack, Reuters reports. He could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
The terror suspect told investigators he chose the subway station near the Port Authority in New York City because of the Christmas-themed posters hanging on the walls.
He said he had been inspired by ISIS attacks on Christmas markets in Europe, and was looking to retaliate for U.S. airstrikes in Syria, according to The New York Times.
Ullah had a pipe bomb strapped to his body with Velcro when it went off inside the station. Smoke spilled into the bus terminal and sent commuters running for their lives.
Ullah has been in the United States since 2011 as a result of chain migration, authorities said. Chain migration allows immigrants to sponsor extended family members to live in the United States. President Donald Trump and GOP leadership have publicly opposed this policy and have said the practice should be halted as part of any comprehensive immigration reform.
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