Federal
Agent Says Iraqi Refugee Wanted To Bomb Texas Malls
By Juan A. Lozano
Associated Press
HOUSTON
(AP) -- An Iraqi refugee who is facing charges he tried to help the Islamic
State group wanted to set off bombs at two Houston malls and was learning to make
electronic transmitters that could be used to detonate explosive devices, a
federal agent testified Wednesday.
Omar Faraj
Saeed Al Hardan, who came to Houston from Iraq in 2009, was indicted last week on
three charges, including attempting to provide support to a designated
terrorist organization. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges during a
court appearance on Wednesday.
AP Photo/Bob Levey |
U.S.
District Judge Lynn Hughes denied granting Al Hardan a bond, ruling that there
would be a serious risk that the Iraqi refugee would flee if released from
federal custody.
Hughes
made his decision after listening to testimony from Homeland Security Special
Agent Herman Wittliff, who said that in addition to Al Hardan wanting to set
off bombs at the two Houston malls, including the popular
Galleria mall, the Iraqi man was also learning how to make electronic
transmitters that could be used to detonate improvised explosive devices. Al
Hardan wanted use cellphones - a collection of which were found in his
apartment - to detonate the transmitters, Wittliff said.
"He
wanted to build them (the transmitters) for ISIL ," Wittliff said.
"For
what purpose?" asked prosecutor Ralph Imperato.
"So
he could kill people," Wittliff replied.
Al
Hardan's arrest prompted criticism of the Obama administration's refugee
policies from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been a leader among Republican
governors calling for a halt to resettlement of Syrian refugees in their
states. Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas called for a retroactive review of
all refugees who have come to the U.S.
Immigrant
advocates say they have full confidence in the vetting process and that tens of
thousands of Iraqi refugees have been successfully resettled in the U.S.
Al
Hardan's older brother, Saeed Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, has said his sibling has
denied any wrongdoing and that neither his brother nor anybody in their family
had ever expressed any support for the Islamic State.
Prosecutors
allege Al Hardan was coordinating efforts with another Iraqi refugee living in California , Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab. The
two men communicated through Facebook messenger from April 2013 to October 2014
and talked about getting weapons training and eventually sneaking into Syria to fight alongside the terrorist
group, Wittliff said.
The agent
also testified Al Hardan received training on how to use an AK-47 assault rifle
in November 2014 on a farm outside Houston from a confidential informant who
was working with federal authorities.
During the
hearing, Wittliff read aloud excerpts from a conversation that authorities had
recorded between Al Hardan and his wife in October 2014. Prosecutors did not
say how the recording was obtained.
"Once
I get the passport I will leave America , I will leave. I will make a widow
of you," Al Hardan said to his wife, according to the excerpt read in
court. "I will go to Syria . I am not wacko. I am not wacko. I
am speaking the truth. I want to blow myself up. I want to blow myself up ... I
am against America ."
Wittliff
also testified authorities had a photograph showing Al Hardan had taken an oath
on a Quran to the Islamic State and that in the closet of his bedroom, agents
found an Islamic State flag and a prayer to do list in which he spoke about
receiving strength to be able to commit jihad and becoming a martyr.
Wittliff
was the only prosecution witness at Wednesday's hearing.
Defense
attorney David Adler didn't present any witnesses but suggested during
questioning of Wittliff that there was nothing illegal about Al Hardan having
the electronic components or old cellphones that FBI agents found in his
apartment.
Adler also
suggested that the firearms training Al Hardan allegedly received from the
informant was about "two guys shooting a gun."
The
defense attorney said the conversation that authorities recorded between Al
Hardan and his wife could have been a domestic argument and that while Al
Hardan said he was against America , he didn't say "I'm going to
bomb America ."
If convicted,
Al Hardan faces up to 25 years in prison.
Al Hardan,
who is a legal permanent resident, is married, has an 8-month-old son and had
worked as a limousine driver before his arrest, according to his brother. Adler
said since Al Hardan's arrest, his family has been evicted from their
apartment.
Al-Jayab
remains jailed in Sacramento , California . Authorities say Al-Jayab fought
twice in Syria , including with a group later
affiliated with the Islamic State between November 2013 and January 2014.
Ben Ferro (Editor)
benferro@insideins.com
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