TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

USF Students To Appear At Explosives Case Arraignment

ADVERTISEMENT

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 2, 2007

TAMPA - Two University of South Florida students charged with illegally transporting explosives are set to appear before a federal judge Wednesday.

Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed are scheduled for an arraignment before Magistrate Mark Pizzo. Arraignments are typically quick hearings in which defendants almost always plead not guilty to charges in an indictment. Although defendants often waive their right to be present at such hearings, neither defendant in this case has waived his appearance.

Both men are being held without bail. In addition to the explosives charge, Mohamed is charged with trying to help terrorists by teaching or demonstrating the use of explosives, stemming from a video he is accused of making and posting on the web site YouTube.

Although another magistrate has ruled that Megahed could be released on bail under restrictive conditions, that ruling is under appeal. The defense has filed a motion seeking to dismiss the appeal.

In response to the latest defense filing, the prosecution filed a legal memorandum asking that the defendant's motion be denied.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Mohamed acknowledged making the video and demonstrating how to use a remote-controlled toy to detonate a bomb.

In his Arabic-language narration on the video, Mohamed said that those interested in "martyrdom operations" could "use the equipments of explosion from a distance and one can preserve his live, for the sake of Allah almighty and blessed, for the real battles," according to the government's latest brief.

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT