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Defense wants shoe bomb count dropped

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal prosecutors are opposing a move by defense attorneys to drop one of the charges against alleged airplane shoe bomber Richard Reid.

Reid's lawyers object to count nine of the indictment, which alleges the "attempted wrecking of a mass transportation vehicle." The defense claims an aircraft does not constitute a "vehicle" and is not involved in "mass transportation."

MORE STORIES Timeline: The shoe bomber case    EXTRA INFORMATION Read the charges U.S. vs. Reid (FindLaw) (PDF)

The defense also questioned whether the "attempted" wrecking of a mass transportation vehicle carries a criminal penalty, or if the act actually must be accomplished to qualify.

Prosecutors filed a document Friday challenging those arguments. There's no word on when the judge will decide on the defense challenge.

Reid has been jailed in the Boston area since his December 22 arrest. He is charged with attempting to ignite explosives packed into his shoes while aboard an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. The charges against him include attempted murder, attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and placing an explosive device on an aircraft.

Reid's trial is scheduled to start in November.