No evidence New York bomb suspect linked to Bangladesh militants

U.S. prosecutors on Tuesday brought federal charges against Akayed Ullah, a 27-year-old Bangladeshi and self-described supporter of Islamic State, accusing him of supporting a foreign terrorist organization.

Ullah set off a pipe bomb in an underground pedestrian corridor between New York's Times Square and the Port Authority Bus Terminal at rush hour on Monday morning, injuring himself and three others.

"We have collected evidence and information from his family members: his wife, father-in-law and mother-in-law," Monirul Islam, head of the Bangladesh police's counter-terrorism unit, said in an interview.

"In Bangladesh we have not found any connection or have not been able to identify any of his associates who were or are involved with any terrorist groups."

A U.S. enforcement official familiar with the investigation of the attack said officers had found evidence that Ullah had watched Islamic State propaganda on the internet.

Islam and his team interviewed Ullah's wife and other relatives for several hours, after picking them up at their rented apartment in central Dhaka. Ullah, a US resident since 2011, had come back to Bangladesh to see his family in September, spending most of the time at home with their six-month-old son, Islam said.

"Usually, he did not mix with any of his friends or relatives here. Most of the time he spent time in the house," Islam said.

"We're looking for his associates who he used to go to college or school with. We're looking for them, we've not identified anyone yet."

Members of the family declined to talk to Reuters when approached at the apartment on Wednesday.

Islam said Bangladesh had passed on information on Ullah to U.S. security agencies, although there was no joint investigation.

"I'm not sure whether they will send any formal request for an investigation or inquiry. If they do, we'll comply with the request because we've given highest priority on this issue because we have a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism." Ullah's relatives were under surveillance and would not be allowed to leave Dhaka without police permission.