Sayfullo Saipov ? the suspect in the New York City truck attack ? is seen in this handout photo released on November 1, 2017. St. Charles County Department of Corrections/Handout via REUTERS/Files

NEW YORK: The Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people by speeding a rental truck down a New York City bike path in October pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to murder and other criminal charges.

Sayfullo Saipov, 29, entered his plea before US District Judge Vernon Broderick in Manhattan. David Patton ? a court-appointed lawyer representing him ? declined to comment on the case after the hearing.

Saipov was arrested immediately after the October 31 attack, in which he ploughed a truck down a bike lane on Manhattan?s West Side.

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack, which was the deadliest assault on New York City since September 11, 2001.

Saipov ? a legal permanent US resident ? was hospitalized after he was shot by a policeman and arrested.

On November 21, Saipov was charged in an indictment with eight counts of murder, 12 counts of attempted murder, one count of providing material support to Daesh, and one count of violence and destruction of a motor vehicle resulting in death.

The most serious charges against Saipov carry the death penalty, though it is not yet clear whether prosecutors will seek it.

US President Donald Trump repeatedly called on Twitter for Saipov to face the death penalty.

Following the attack, Saipov told investigators he was inspired by watching Daesh videos and began planning the attack a year earlier, according to a criminal complaint filed by prosecutors the day after the attack.

The complaint said Saipov was particularly motivated by a video where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ? the leader of Daesh ? exhorted Muslims in the US and elsewhere to support the group?s cause.

Saipov also said ?he felt good about what he had done? and asked for permission to display the flag of the militant group in his hospital room, the complaint said.

Umida Saipova ? Saipov?s sister ? told Reuters in a phone interview earlier this month from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, that she believed her brother had been ?brainwashed?.

Mirrakhmat Muminov ? an Uzbek acquaintance of Saipov living in Ohio ? told Reuters that Saipov became religious after moving to the US in 2010.

Five of the victims were Argentinians who were part of a group in New York to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their high school graduation.

A Belgian woman, a New Yorker, and a New Jersey man were also killed.

The next hearing in Saipov?s case is set for January 23.