A late legal move by "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid's lawyers threatened to delay his sentencing today for trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with explosives in his shoes.
Chief US District Judge William Young had been expected to sentence the British man to between 60 years and life in prison during a hearing scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (7 p.m. Irish time).
In a motion filed yesterday in federal court, Reid's lawyers asked Mr Young to sentence him on one of the counts to which he pleaded guilty but to delay sentencing him on the remaining seven counts.
In seeking the delay, the lawyers argued they needed access to classified government information that could potentially clear their client of guilt.
Prosecutors said they planned to file a motion early on today countering the defence attorneys' arguments and asking Mr Young to proceed with the sentencing.
It was not immediately clear whether the judge would press ahead with plans to sentence Reid or take several days or even weeks to consider the matter.
Reid, a petty criminal who converted to Islam while in a British prison, pleaded guilty in October to trying to bring down American Airlines Flight 63 on December 22nd, 2001, as it flew to Miami from Paris.
Passengers and flight attendants overpowered him as he tried to ignite explosives in his shoes. He was tied up with belts and headphone cords, and the plane landed in Boston under escort from fighter jets.