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Judge delays trial of man arrested in Bozeman amid terrorism investigation

Posted at 4:57 PM, May 30, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-30 18:57:23-04
Fabjan Alameti

MISSOULA – It will be at least September before a man accused of making making false statements to the FBI in a terrorism investigation will face trial.

Fabjan Alameti, who is originally from New York, came under FBI surveillance after he reportedly made statements about joining ISIS and seeking retaliation for attacks that killed dozens of Muslims in New Zealand.

Prosecutors say he flew to Montana, apparently because he thought it was easier to obtain firearms, and was subsequently arrested after he went to a Bozeman firing range to rent a gun.

Now, U.S. District Court Judge Dana Christensen is granting a defense request for Alameti to waive his right to a speedy trial, pushing the trial date to this fall. The judge also told attorneys they have until late August to develop any plea agreement in the case.

Defense attorneys had asked for the delay to give them more time to sort through thousands of pages of documents that have already been submitted to the court.