Florida Man Arrested Charged: Targets Busy Beaches of Tampa Area in Terror Plan
A Florida man, according to federal prosecutors, reportedly indicted with providing the Islamic State with material support after he tried to obtain he attempted to obtain firearms and targeted busy beaches for probable terror attacks. The 23-year-old Muhammed Al-Azhari had reportedly made negotiations with an undercover FBI employee to buy a variety of silencers and guns which include "an AK-47-style rifle reportedly to be used in an attack."
Al-Azhari was apprehended on Sunday after he took possession of the said weapons. Relatively, in a statement, US Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez said, their "cooperation and coordination in this matter, letting us intrude a serious threat" without harming anyone. Specifically, according to prosecutors through a complaint filed early this week, Al-Azhari was indicted with "attempting to provide material resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization."
The said charge indicates the possibility of "a 20-year" term of imprisonment. More so, the suspect reportedly hunted several locations in the Tampa area, and these, according to a report from Tampa Bay Times, include "busy beaches."
Inspired by the Killing of 49 People
Al-Azhari was reported to have a strong admiration for the shooter who killed around 49 people during the 2016 Pulse Nightclub massacre. He went to visit the same venue for the shooting. On a recording, the affidavit stated, the arrested man said, he does not want to take just four or five. Instead, he continued, "I want to take at least 50." Al-Azhari said in the recording, "like Omar Mateen," whom he called brother, "in Orlando did," referring to his shooting 49 people to death.
The suspect reportedly practiced too, what he would tell the people when it's time to carry out the attack. Some of what he rehearsed was reportedly captured on May 16, by electronic surveillance. Specifically, the surveillance device was able to intercept what the 23-year-old rehearsed seemingly warning America that, that particular day is the Americans' emergency.
Additionally, the suspect was also heard saying, as stated in the affidavit that on that particular day, they'd kill "from you (referring to America), as you killed from us." Al-Azhari continued as heard from the recording saying it was a "revenge for Muslims."
Case Unlocked through a Transaction on eBay
Based on reports, a key to the said case was a transaction made on eBay from which Al-Azhari bought parts of weapons from someone in Texas.
The package was then stopped by the US Postal Service. eBay on the other hand, flagged the particular transaction. The seller helped in the arrest of Al-Azhari too, by providing the agents of the FBI with details on the deal. The Postal Service for its part seized the purchased package. According to the suspect's attorney said, such charges unjustly represent "his client as a terrorist."
Samuel Landes, the public defender said, the accusations are misunderstanding both the evidence and the law. He added, he is grateful that in this country, all people are enjoying a supposition of innocence. Therefore, Landes added, he looks forward to the day in the court of Al-Azhari "before a jury of his peers."
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