Weekly Terrorism Spotlight

Volume 1, Issue 4 (April 7)

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

New charge, arrest in Islamic student terror case

Federal court term opens in Florida revealing new charge, arrest in Islamic terror conspiracy case

Third person in terror conspiracy controversy, Karim Moussaoui, on trial for federal weapons felony this week

The opening of federal court for the March-April term in south Florida revealed a docket of surprises in the Mohamed, Megahed terror conspiracy case Monday, March 31.

Federal court records reveal a sealed indictment and warrant had been issued in Florida for Ahmend Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed, 26, and Youssef Samir Magahed, 21, following their August 4 arrest by local authorities in South Carolina.

A Goose Creek, S.C., sheriff’s deputy stopped the two for speeding on U.S. 176, searched their car and discovered what bomb experts later determined to be explosives, police records state.

A new charge on Mohamed notes grand jury findings he “did teach and demonstrate the making and use of an explosive and destructive device,” recently before his August 4 arrest.

Also in the widening probe, federal authorities arrested a third potential conspirator, Karim Moussaoui, 28, on a weapons possession charge.

The Moussaoui case is linked to Megahed by FBI agent William Ortiz, who reported the two trained in firearms use together, with surveillance video capturing the scene.

Moussaoui is restricted from any kind of firearms possession due to limitations on his international student visa, therefore the weapons training became a chargeable weapons possession infraction.

The terror conspiracy case received an April 28, 9:30 a.m., court date for an expected four-day jury trial, according to a March 31 term docket record for the south Florida federal court.

Court officials divided off Mohamed’s bomb-making charge, and a hearing on it is expected in May.

Moussaoui’s case is before a jury this week, with early defense attorney attempts underway to exclude evidence of Moussaoui’s presence with Megahed at Shoot Straight Gun and Archery Range.

Evidence includes video surveillance taken of the range activities on July 19, 2007, days before Megahed’s road trip north with Mohamed during which they were stopped on August 4.

Agent Ortiz established Moussaoui and Begahed went to the range with a third trainee, Ortiz identified him as Ahmed Ishtay.

“Moussaoui told New York FBI agents he did not see what type of weapon Megahed used on this visit to the range,” Ortiz said, adding he and Ishtay denied taking part.

“He claimed that [they] remained in the store browsing,” Ortiz said. “A surveillance video which Shoot Straight provided to the FBI shows Moussaoui and others entering that range on that date.”

Investigation into Magehed following the August 4 terror conspiracy case turned up photos of Moussaoui standing at a weapons-training firing lane, aiming a shoulder-fire weapon.

The photos showed Moussaoui with weapons training head gear, and the weapon was “consistent with” the Walther G22 rifle Shoot Straight range records showed Megahed as signing out for the practice session.

Moussaoui’s defense claim states he merely wanted a “souvenir photo” and not fire a weapon – and a decision on excluding evidence against his prior claim that he only browsed the shop area has not been ruled on yet.

Attorneys for Megahed and Mohamed claim the explosives in their car were merely homemade fireworks.

Court records indicate the terror conspiracy case includes FBI lab reports about the found materials, PVC pipes and alleged explosive mixtures.

Mohamed claims his YouTube video was not for training in bomb making. The warrant accuses him of demonstrating on video how to make bomb timing devices out of children’s toys.

According to published reports, Moussaoui family members complain federal authorities waited beyond the scope of their investigation to arrest Moussaoui just two days before his University of South Florida graduation.

Family members traveled from Morocco only to sit in a courtroom for a bond hearing. “They handcuffed him. They kept asking, ‘Where’s the gun?’ Hamou Moussaoui, the defendant’s father, said.

He added FBI agents promised money and a green card in exchange for information about Megahed and Mohamed. “That conversation would not have taken place,” countered FBI spokesman David Couvertier.

South Carolina federal authorities arrested Megahed and Mohamed on the federal terror conspiracy charge again on September 6, showing a “rule 5” arrest, according to FBI reports.

The federal case caused local charges to drop.

Florida court records stated the August 29 sealed indictment and warrant were subsequently opened, the warrant returned as served on September 7, 2007.