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USF Grad Pleads Not Guilty In Case Built On Gun Photo
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Published: January 23, 2008
TAMPA - A former University of South Florida student from Morocco pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a federal weapons charge levied after FBI agents found a picture of him posing with a gun.
Karim Moussaoui, 28, is in the United States on a student visa. It is illegal for foreign nationals on student visas to possess, or even hold, weapons. Moussaoui told the FBI he took pictures with weapons but didn't fire any, a federal complaint states.
The picture of Moussaoui was taken at a gun range where he went with two more former students, Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed, who are now charged in a separate incident with transporting explosives.
Mohamed, 26, and Megahed, 21, both Egyptian nationals, were arrested in South Carolina on Aug. 4 and charged with having explosives in their car. Mohamed later was accused of trying to help terrorists by posting on the Internet a video in which he showed how to use a remote-controlled toy as a bomb detonator.
Moussaoui and the two men were at the gun range on July 11, according to court records.
In Tuesday's hearing, federal prosecutors and Moussaoui's attorney told U.S. Magistrate Mark Pizzo that the charge is simple and straightforward and should not take much time. The trial tentatively was set for March.
Last month, just two days before Moussaoui was expected to graduate with three computer-related degrees, he was arrested in his dorm room.
Federal authorities said Megahed had signed up for a membership at Shoot Straight Gun and Archery Range on U.S. 301. Agents searching Megahed's computer found a picture of Moussaoui at the gun range holding a "shoulder fired" weapon and wearing earplugs. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
Moussaoui and his attorney declined to talk about the case Tuesday. Previously, Moussaoui said he held the unloaded gun for the picture because guns are not legal in his country. He described the picture as a "souvenir."
Because of the arrest, Moussaoui missed a final exam. He worried that he would not be able to graduate with all three degrees: computer science, computer information and computer engineering. His attorney, Stephen Crawford, said Tuesday that USF allowed him to make up the exam.
"That was very nice of USF," Crawford said.
Moussaoui graduated in December.
Moussaoui remains on house arrest and wears an ankle monitor as he awaits trial. Crawford said Moussaoui had expected to return to Morocco after graduation to work for his father's company that offers engineering consulting on construction projects.
Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.
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