TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Mohamed's Attorneys Seek Delay Of Trial Over New Charges

ADVERTISEMENT

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 17, 2008

TAMPA – Lawyers for a former University of South Florida student accused of trying to help terrorists are asking that his upcoming trials be delayed.

A federal grand jury returned a new indictment Wednesday against Ahmed Mohamed and his fellow former student, Youssef Megahed, who were arrested Aug. 4 in South Carolina.

Megahed and Mohamed both are newly charged in the indictment with possessing a destructive device.

The new indictment also includes the charge from the previous indictment of transporting explosive materials.

Mohamed is also accused of posting on the Web site YouTube a video in which he showed how to use a remote-controlled toy to detonate a bomb.

Mohamed also is newly charged with providing material support to terrorists, and possessing a pistol and a rifle in violation of his student visa. The new indictment also contains the charge in the previous indictment against Mohamed of teaching and demonstrating the use of explosives with the intent to help terrorists.

One new charge against Mohamed accuses him of carrying a destructive device while providing material support to terrorists on Aug. 4, the day of the men's arrest.

The two are scheduled to go on trial April 28 on the explosives charge contained in the original indictment. Mohamed is then scheduled to go on trial on May 12 on the charge he tried to help terrorists.

Mohamed's attorneys say in a motion filed this afternoon that they cannot adequately defend him against the new charges in the "novel and complicated indictment" unless the trials are delayed.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT