Washington: President Donald Trump on Thursday called for the death penalty for an Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people in an ISIS-inspired assault in New York, the worst terrorist attack in the city since 9/11.
Mr Trump has been vocal in condemning the Wednesday’s attack carried out by the 29-year-old ISIS-inspired man who ploughed a pickup truck down a crowded bike path near the World Trade Centre, killing eight people and injuring nearly a dozen others.
“NYC terrorist was happy as he asked to hang ISIS flag in his hospital room. He killed 8 people, badly injured 12. SHOULD GET DEATH PENALTY!” Mr Trump tweeted, in reference to the FBI’s statement that the attacker Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov was inspired by the ISIS and “requested to display ISIS’s flag” in his hospital room.
In another tweet, Mr Trump said, “Would love to send the NYC terrorist to Guantanamo but statistically that process takes much longer than going through the Federal system. There is also something appropriate about keeping him in the home of the horrible crime he committed. Should move fast. DEATH PENALTY!”
He also said that it was “another attack by a very sick and deranged person”. Presidents typically do not comment on pending criminal cases because of the potential impact their statements can have, the CNN commented. He also called for tougher “merit-based” immigration measures and vowed to do away with the diversity visa programme.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday said that the investigators had found a second Uzbek man they had been seeking in connection with the truck attack this week in Lower Manhattan.
