Lawyer: Doctor to fight US extradition, terror case

MANILA -- A Cagayan de Oro doctor accused by US authorities of plotting attacks in New York City, including in concert venues and Times Square, denies that he helped finance the disrupted plot and will fight a US extradition request, his lawyer told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Russell Salic donated money to charity but never to terrorists, renounces terrorism and has never held a gun in his life, lawyer Dalomilang Parahiman said in an interview.

US prosecutors said Friday that Salic was one of three Islamic State group sympathizers who plotted bombings and shootings to take place at New York City concert venues, subway stations and Times Square last year before US agents thwarted the plot.

A Canadian man arrested in the US last year has pleaded guilty; the other man was arrested in Pakistan.

In May last year, Salic allegedly sent approximately $423 from the Philippines to an undercover FBI agent posing as an Islamic extremist to help fund the planned New York attacks. Salic, who allegedly was known

to fellow extremists as "Abu Khalid" or "the doctor," also informed the undercover agent that he intended to continue sending additional money in support of the Islamic State group in the future, according to court documents made public in New York.

Salic allegedly told the undercover agent that his ultimate goal was to join the Islamic State group in Syria but that "it would be a great pleasure if we can slaughter" people in New York, the documents said.

"I only donated money for humanitarian consideration out of pity for the needy but I have never thought of giving funds to the Isis," his lawyer quoted Salic as saying, using an acronym of the Islamic State group.

Once, Salic donated money to prevent students from losing their teacher, who has not been receiving his salary. An online posting about his good deed prompted many