Habibulloh Saipov saw his son this week for the first time in 13 years. He said on Thursday that he expected never to see him again.
The son, Sayfullo Saipov, was sentenced last month in Manhattan federal court for using a truck to kill eight people on the West Side bike lane on Halloween Day 2017 and to injure many others. On Thursday, his father, who was allowed into the United States to testify as a jury considers giving his son the death penalty, said through an interpreter that after he is done, he will fly back to their native Uzbekistan.
“He committed a terrible tragedy,” Habibulloh Saipov said of his son’s assault while answering a lawyer’s questions. “He ruined their lives.”
Prosecutors opened the punishment phase of the trial fight last week in favor of the death penalty instead of life imprisonment without any chance of release, claiming that Sayfullo Saipov, 35, is too dangerous for prison. Relatives of the deceased testify about the impact of the loss of their loved ones.
Thursday’s performance by Habibulloh Saipov was part of the death defense case. They had told the jury at trial that their client had been influenced by hours of Islamic State propaganda and had spent hours watching martyrdom videos.
Understand the Bike-Path Terror Trial
David Stern, one of Mr Saipov’s lawyers, told the jury last week that during the sentencing phase, the defense would take testimony from an expert on propaganda and why ISIS is targeting Uzbeks, whose predominantly Muslim country is a former Soviet republic is.
“You will see that his past could not have predicted his present,” said Mr. Stern. “You’ll hear from the family and, like them, you’ll wonder how on earth this could have happened?”
The first Saipov family member to take the witness stand in Judge Vernon S. Broderick’s courtroom was Habibulloh Saipov. He testified that there was nothing in his Muslim faith that could justify his son’s actions.
He said Mr. Saipov, who won the immigration lottery to come to the United States, was born when the Soviet Union still controlled Uzbekistan and there was no freedom of religion. He said that he could not teach his son about the Muslim faith in a comprehensive way.
The defense showed the jury family photos: Mr. Saipov’s father and mother on their wedding day; one of a young Mr. Saipov with his mother and a sister; and one of a smiling Mr. Saipov in New York. Another photo showed a dimly lit Mr. Saipov standing in front of a large truck.
Habibulloh Saipov described the hours-long phone calls his son, who worked as a long-distance truck driver in the United States, called him from the road, often when it was late at night in Uzbekistan.
Mr. Saipov, he said, would say, “Father, talk to me. It is still a while before my final destination.”
Habibulloh Saipov recalled that it was the morning of November 1 in Uzbekistan when he learned of the attack carried out by his son. His younger brother showed him the news coverage on his phone.
“Sayfullo, Sayfullo,” Habibulloh recalled his wife saying before passing out. She was taken to hospital, he said. The Uzbek police took him in for questioning and held him for 15 days.
After learning what his son had done, Habibulloh Saipov said, “My soul was destroyed.”
Habibulloh Saipov said he spent the past five years trying to visit his son while he was in prison but was unable to secure a visa. He was allowed to come to the United States to testify, but had to leave once his testimony was complete. He flew back to Uzbekistan on Friday, he testified.
It was then that Mr. Stern asked Habibulloh Saipov if he expected to ever see his son in person again.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to see him after this event,” he said, burying his face. Crying, he said he still loved his son, “with all my heart”.
He said that a life sentence would give meaning to Mr. Saipov’s life.
“He will have enough time to realize what he has committed,” said Habibulloh Saipov. “It is important for his children to know that their father is alive.”
As Habibulloh stepped off the witness stand, a relative – one of Mr. Saipov’s uncles – stormed out of the courtroom, banging on the door and yelling in the Uzbek language.
An interpreter only caught three words: “dirty ISIS bastards.”
The judge ordered the man banned from the courthouse for the remainder of the trial.