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USF Explosives Investigation Results In A 3rd Arrest
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Published: December 13, 2007
Updated: 12/13/2007 12:45 pm
TAMPA - A University of South Florida student has been arrested on a weapons charge in connection with a case against two other students accused of transporting explosives.
Karim Moussaoui, 28, went to a shooting range with the two other students, Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed, on July 11, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court. Moussaoui told the FBI he took pictures and didn't fire any weapons, the complaint states.
On that date, Megahed signed a membership agreement and rented a Glock 17, which is a 9 mm handgun, at the Shoot Straight Gun and Archery Range at 3909 N. U.S. 301, the complaint states.
Moussaoui and others are shown entering the range eight days later on a surveillance video the Shoot Straight provided to the FBI, according to the complaint. Agents searching a computer found in Megahed's home found pictures of Moussaoui "standing at a firing lane possessing a shoulder-fired weapon and wearing the type of hearing protection shooters use at a shooting range."
Federal authorities have charged the international student with "possession or receiving of a firearm by a person admitted to the United States under a non-immigrant visa."
"We've known since the summer they were interested in this person," said USF spokesman Ken Gullette, referring to Moussaoui.
Moussaoui is from Morocco and has been living in a campus residence hall and studying computer engineering, Gullette said. He was scheduled to be awarded his undergraduate degree Saturday.
His parents arrived Wednesday from Morocco to attend his graduation.
At today's hearing, they signed a $50,000 signature bond for his release. Moussaoui surrendered his passport and travel documents.
The defendant was told he must vacate campus housing within two weeks of graduation. He must then find an apartment with a phone and begin serving house arrest and wear an ankle monitor. Until then, he must have daily phone contact with pretrial services.
Moussaoui's attorney, Stephen Crawford, said the student was awakened this morning in his dorm room and arrested. His client was scheduled to take his last final exam at 1 p.m. today but will miss the class, he said.
Crawford said the defendant comes from a prominent family of engineers and developers in Morocco.
Moussaoui's father, Hamou, spoke to reporters after the hearing.
"America is a country of justice," he said. "My son loves America. Since he was a boy, he loves America."
The family's attorney called the charge "a relatively minor offense."
"The reason we are here in federal court is he is a friend of Mr. Mohamed and Mr. Megahed," Crawford said.
Mohamed, 26, and Megahed, 21, both Egyptian nationals, were arrested in South Carolina on Aug. 4 and charged with having explosives material in their car.
Mohamed later was charged with trying to help terrorists by teaching or demonstrating the use of explosives. He is accused of making a video in which he shows how to use a remote-controlled toy as a bomb detonator. The video was posted on the web site YouTube, authorities say.
"This information is nothing new," said Megahed's attorney, public defender Adam Allen, referring to the complaint against Moussaoui.
"It's something the government had raised early on in this case at the bond hearings. My client's lawful presence at a shooting range in July of this year is irrelevant to the charges against my client, and there is nothing unlawful about his lawful presence at a shooting range, Allen said. "Hundreds of people lawfully shoot firearms at shooting ranges every day in Tampa and throughout the United States."
A woman named Laura who identified herself as a manager of Shoot Straight but would not give her last name declined to comment on the investigation.
Tribune reporter Mike Wells and News Channel 8 reporter Mark Douglas contributed to this report. Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 or esilvestrini@tampatrib.com.
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