Man Who Plotted To Blow Up NYC Subway Station Could Soon Walk Free

A man who plotted to blow up a New York City subway station as a 9/11 anniversary attack in 2009 could soon walk out of prison.

That is because Najibullah Zazi, 33, received a sentence on the time he has already served helping officials go against al Qaeda, the New York Post reported Thursday. Zazi and two other people planned to blow themselves up at Grand Central Station during rush hour before they were caught by law enforcement.

“You came with hard-working and honorable people,” Judge Raymond Dearie yelled Thursday, the Post reported. “We welcomed you. But you turned on us.”

He faced up to life in prison, but has helped officials over the past 10 years, according to the Post.

Dearie agreed with prosecutors that Zazi deserved a break because of his cooperation to oust terrorists. Zazi helped with several investigations by meeting with government more than 100 times, the Post reported.

“I tried my best to correct my horrific mistake by cooperating with the government,” Zazi said, the Post reported.

Zazi will be under a lifetime of supervised release by the U.S. Department of Probation, according to the Post. He will also be required to provide his services to prosecutors and agents.

Zazi was born in Afghanistan and came to the U.S. as a refugee from Pakistan at 14-years-old, the Post reported.