Lawyer: Plea deal possible in Chicago cabbie case

[January 14, 2012]  CHICAGO (AP) -- An attorney for a Pakistani-born Chicago taxi driver accused of attempting to send funds to al-Qaida says the government has proposed a possible plea deal.

Raja Lahrasib Khan's lawyer, Thomas Durkin, told The Associated Press Friday that the defense will likely take several weeks to assess the proposal.

But Durkin added that he believed the sides generally agree on terms and that he was "optimistic" a deal could be reached. He declined to provide any details.

Khan is charged with attempting to provide material aid to terrorism by sending cash to Pakistan-based terrorist leader Ilyas Kashmiri.

Khan has been held in a federal jail in Chicago since his arrest two years ago. The naturalized U.S. citizen pleaded not guilty shortly after his arrest.

[Associated Press]

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