Richard Reid Appears in Federal Court
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Meanwhile in Boston today, the man suspected of trying to blow up an airliner by igniting explosives in his shoes appeared in federal court. CNN's Brian Palmer has more on today's legal maneuvers in the government's case against Richard Reid.</s>BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): He has no known address in the world, let alone in the United States. No visible means of support, and he constitutes a danger to the community. These were the charges leveled against shoe bomb suspect Richard Reid today in federal court, and a U.S. district court judge agreed. So Reid will stay in federal custody pending his trial. Now, the hearing today lasted about an hour. Reid watched silently, dressed in a prison jump suit. He was wearing handcuffs, which the defense asked to be removed. The judge denied that request, saying that conditions in the courtroom were much too crowded. After the hearing, defense attorneys declined to speak to the press. But prosecutors did.</s>MICHAEL SULLIVAN, U.S. ATTORNEY: There's been some news reports suggesting that he had an accomplice on the plane, and that the FBI was continuing to look at the manifest list. The FBI conducted an investigation as soon as the plane landed in Logan Airport. And there is no credible evidence to suggest that there was an accomplice on that flight.</s>PALMER: So, although prosecutors gave no substantive details about what will happen next, they did say that they must present evidence to a grand jury within 30 days of Reed's first appearance in court. That first appearance was December 24th, so presumably, there should be some grand jury action the last week in January. Brian Palmer, CNN, Boston.</s>BLITZER: As we reported late yesterday, Richard Reid made a number of stops in countries in recent months, including the Netherlands. With more on the investigation into Reid's background and motives, we turn CNN's Matthew Chance. He's outside the Brixton mosque, in London.</s>MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): First of all, the latest developments from the Netherlands, with the Dutch authorities telling CNN that an investigation has already begun into the movements of Richard Reid, specifically, into weather the explosive material he used to pack into his shoes on that airliner from Paris was in some way acquired in Amsterdam. Police there tell us that no one has been taken into custody yet. They have made no arrests. That investigation, though, still very much in its early stages. Back here in London, there has been reaction from the parents of Richard Reid. I've got here a copy of a prominent daily newspaper in Britain, "The Daily Mail," headlining, "we're so shocked," say shoe bomber's parents, quoting the father of Richard Reid as saying that my son is a determined boy and I can imagine him determined enough to blow himself to bits. The father, though, also expressed some surprise that he would want to hurt anybody else in the process. There's also been a reaction from Richard Reid's mother.</s>LESLEY HUGHES, RICHARD REID'S MOTHER: Other than what I've heard or read in the media, I have no knowledge of this matter. As any mother would be, I'm obviously deeply shocked and concerned at the allegations being made against Richard. We need some time to come to terms with the current situation, and would ask you now to leave us alone and to respect the difficulty of our position.</s>CHANCE: Reaction, too, from the leaders of this Brixton mosque, in south London, where of course, Richard Reid is known to have worshipped. It's also the place where Zacarias Moussaoui, the man indicted in the United States for involvement with the September 11th attacks, is also known to have attended. Despite those links, prominent figures here at this mosque are keen to distance themselves from Islamic extremism, saying they totally reject that ideology, and are very moderate in their outlook. Matthew Chance, CNN, in Brixton, London.