Flushing Imam Ahmad Wais Afzali, who is accused of lying to the FBI in conjunction with a thwarted terror plot targeting New York City, pleaded not guilty in a federal court in Brooklyn on Monday, Nov. 2.

The charges claim Afzali, who served as a source for the NYPD in the past, knowingly and willingly made false statements to federal agents after allegedly denying conversations with terror suspect Najibullah Zazi, who is being charged with conspiracy to use explosives.

Following the Imam’s September arrest, Afzali was released after posting a $1.5 million bail.

Afzali’s attorney Ron Kuby said, at most, his client is facing “a very shaky case of lying to the FBI and if the government thought he was a terrorist they would have not consented to releasing him on bail.”

He said the Imam’s innocence is obvious when considering the larger picture.

In an FBI press release issued Sept. 20, it is noted that Afzali spoke to Zazi on Sept. 11 and that during one of their conversation, Afzali said “Listen, our phone call is being monitored.” An affidavit filed in support of criminal complaints against Afzali reads that in a written statement Afzali denied telling Najibullah or Mohammed Zazi that he had been approached by authorities seeking Zazi’s whereabouts or that he had told Zazi that their call was being monitored.

Kuby asserted it would be “absolutely nonsensical” to lie about a conversation he had already acknowledged was being intercepted.

“The FBI claimed that when they asked him several days later if he had told Zazi the police were looking for him, The FBI claimed Afzali said no and that’s a lie,” he said. “The reason that’s ridiculous is if he knew the conversation was being recorded why on earth would he lie about the contents of a conversation he knew the government had on tape.”

Afzali faces up to eight years in prison if convicted of making false statements to the authorities. He is ordered to return to court Dec. 11.

Reach Reporter Kaitlyn Kilmetis at kkilmetis@queenstribune.com, or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128.