Shoe bomb suspect Reid enters innocent pleas to terrorism

BOSTON (AP) -- The man accused of trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight with bombs in his shoes pleaded innocent Friday to terrorism-related charges in federal court.

Richard C. Reid, a 28-year-old British citizen, answered "Not guilty" to eight charges, including attempting to murder the 197 passengers and crew members aboard American Airlines Flight 63 on Dec. 22. For technical reasons, the defense had the judge enter the innocent plea on the ninth charge.

Reid appeared in U.S. District Court in heavy shackles.

Reid was initially charged with interfering with a flight crew. The new terrorism charges, issued Wednesday, accuse him of having been trained in Afghanistan by the al-Qaida terrorist network and of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.