Afghanistan war veteran arrested after ICE protest prepares for trial

Bajun Mavalwalla, who maintains his innocence, will take case to jury even as others strike plea agreements

An Afghanistan war veteran arrested on felony conspiracy" charges a month after he participated in a protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) maintains his innocence and is preparing for a jury trial, even as others arrested the same day strike plea agreements to avoid long prison terms, his father said.

Bajun Mavalwalla II - a former army sergeant who survived a roadside bomb blast on a special operations mission in Afghanistan - was charged in July with conspiracy to impede or injure officers" after joining an anti-ICE protest in Spokane, Washington.