Jose Pimentel Trial: Possible Plea Deal for Lone Wolf Pipe Bomber

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys are in talks for a plea deal for Jose Pimentel, the man accused of planning pipe bomb attacks on police officers and soldiers.

Pimentel, who lived in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan with his mother, allegedly planned to attack returning members of the military who finished their tours in the Middle East. He had also planned to blow up police cruisers and post offices in Manhattan and a police station in Bayonne, N.J.

Pimental did not arrive at his scheduled court date on Monday, as expected, at the Manhattan Criminal Court building and the proceedings will be pushed off until March 1.

Both parties agreed it was the best course of action, said Lori Cohen, defense lawyer for Pimentel. However, prosecutors mentioned a possible plea deal for Pimentel during the brief session of court.

It's the same thing that happens in every case in this building, said Cohen. No firm offer has been made by either party.

The Domincan born al-Qaeda sympathizer was arrested in November while making pipe bombs in his Washington Heights apartment. Pimentel, 27, who is also known has as Muhammad Yusuf, was under surveillance for almost a year until he was arrested by the NYPD. Authorities say Pimental was acting alone and was not part of a larger conspiracy.

He is being brought up on rarely used state terrorism charges.