Stephen Rex Brown, New York Daily News, March 18, 2019

The ISIS sympathizer accused of killing eight people in the Hudson River bike path attack was under government surveillance “for years,” according to new court papers.

The revelation included in a heavily redacted filing in Manhattan Federal Court from Saipov’s defense team raises questions about whether the government could have done more to prevent the alleged act of terrorism by the unhinged Uzbek.

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Prosecutors disclosed the feds had been spying on Saipov prior to the Oct. 31, 2017, attack only five months ago. The government has refused to reveal more details because prosecutors do not plan to introduce the surveillance during trial.

Dalack argues the surveillance has major implications for his death penalty trial scheduled for next year. Saipov’s defense could argue there were others who influenced him and share culpability for the alleged terrorist attack.

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A former law enforcement source familiar with the Saipov investigation previously told the Daily News that the ISIS sympathizer had been caught on a wiretap before the truck attack speaking with a fellow Uzbek.

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Last year the alleged terrorist delivered a pro-ISIS rant in court that he does not recognize the “weak minds” who created man-made laws.

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