US man accused of plot to kill US politicians

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(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-10-22 12:50

Tarek Mehanna, 27, of Sudbury, Massachusetts, is seen in this image from a video footage taken in Boston, Massachusetts, on February 11, 2009, released to Reuters on October 21, 2009. [Agencies]

BOSTON: A Massachusetts man and two friends tried and failed to get into terrorist training camps and then plotted to kill two prominent US politicians and randomly shoot people at American shopping malls, authorities said Wednesday.

Tarek Mehanna, who recently taught at a Muslim school in Worcester, was arrested early Wednesday at his parents' suburban Boston home. Mehanna was charged with conspiring with two other men -- an American now in Syria and another man who is cooperating with authorities -- to provide support to terrorists.

Ultimately, the trio never came close to pulling off an attack. Authorities say they never got the terrorist training they sought -- that the men told friends they were turned down because of their nationality, ethnicity or inexperience, or that the people they'd hoped would get them into such camps were either in jail or on a religious pilgrimage.

The men abandoned the mall attack plans after their weapons contact said he could find only handguns, not automatic weapons.

The men used code words such as "peanut butter and jelly" for fighting in Somalia and "culinary school" for terrorist camps, and talked extensively of their desire to "die on the battlefield," according to court documents.

Mehanna, who has taught math and religion at Alhuda Academy, made a defiant court appearance hours after his arrest. He refused to stand to hear the charge against him and finally did -- tossing his chair loudly to the floor -- only after his father urged him to do so.

"This really, really is a show," his father, Ahmed Mehanna, said as his son was being led away in handcuffs. When asked if he believed the charges against his son, he said, "No, definitely not."

Prosecutors said Mehanna worked with two men from 2001 to May 2008 on the conspiracy that, over time, intended to "kill, kidnap, maim or injure" soldiers and two politicians who were members of the executive branch but are no longer in office. Authorities refused to identify the politicians and said they were never in danger.

Acting US Attorney Michael Loucks said the men justified the planned attacks on malls because US civilians pay taxes to support the US government and because they are "nonbelievers," Loucks said. He refused to identify the targeted malls.

Mehanna -- who received a doctorate in 2008 from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston, where his father is a professor -- allegedly conspired with Ahmad Abousamra, who authorities say is now in Syria.

Mehanna, 27, is being held without bail until his next court appearance on Oct. 30.

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