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USF Student Asks Court To Try His Case Separately

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By ELAINE SILVESTRINI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2007

TAMPA - A University of South Florida student charged with illegally transporting explosives wants his case to be tried separately from a fellow student, who also is accused of trying to help terrorists.

An attorney for Youssef Megahed, 21, filed a motion in U.S. District Court on Friday seeking to have his case severed from Ahmed Mohamed's. Both were charged with transporting explosives after their car was pulled over Aug. 4 in South Carolina.

Mohamed, however, also was charged with trying to help terrorists by teaching or demonstrating the use of explosives. Authorities say Mohamed acknowledged posting on the Web site YouTube a video in which he showed how to use a remote-controlled toy to detonate a bomb.

Megahed's father, Samir, has said he wants his son's case tried separately from Mohamed's because he doesn't want his son tied to the terrorism accusations. He also said his son's case will be ready for trial much sooner than Mohamed's, and he doesn't want his son waiting behind bars. Both defendants are being held without bail.

In arguing to keep Megahed behind bars, a federal prosecutor pointed out that the video was discovered on Mohamed's laptop, which deputies saw Megahed trying to stow when the men were pulled over in a traffic stop. The computer also contained images of jihad, including rockets being fired, the prosecutor said.

In his motion to separate the cases, Assistant Federal Public Defender Adam B. Allen argued, "To not grant a severance of defendants would result in reversible prejudice to Mr. Youssef Samir Megahed, because he would run the high risk of being found guilty merely by association with defendant Mohamed."

Allen maintained that in prosecuting the terrorism-related charge against Mohamed, the government "will be required to present highly inflammatory evidence" to prove Mohamed's actions were aimed at helping terrorists.

"Given the current post-9-11 climate and this country's current entrenchment in the Iraq War, any terrorist-related evidence is highly prejudicial and will result in an unfair trial" for Megahed, Allen wrote.

Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 or esilvestrini@tampatrib.com.

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