Ahmad Wais Afzali had for years been a popular imam in Queens. He was also a source of information for local and federal authorities on the alert for any criminal activity.

Afzali was approached by law enforcement officials concerned that a terror suspect had unexpectedly driven to Queens from Colorado. Over time, Afzali had phone conversations with suspect Najibullah Zazi.

Those phone calls, court records show, included talk of the interest in Zazi among law enforcement officials and the possibility that he might be picked up by authorities. They discussed what was happening in Afghanistan and Pakistan. One conversation involved talk of “evidence”.

Afzali’s lawyer said he was merely trying to help the authorities. But on Saturday night, federal officials arrested Afzali, 37, claiming that their onetime source of assistance had betrayed them by tipping off Zazi.

Zazi was also arrested on Saturday. Federal authorities said he had admitted receiving explosives training at a terrorist camp in Pakistan, and had notes on his laptop on making bombs.

Ronald L Kuby said the authorities came to his client and “wanted to know everything they could about Najibullah Zazi, and he agreed to help them”. Kuby added: “He had always been helpful and candid and useful to them; that’s why they trusted him.”

Kuby said his client had been “responsive to government requests for at least a year and I think several years”, and said he was trusted by police officers and federal agents on the Joint Terrorism Task Force.

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