An Iraqi refugee who settled in Houston seven years ago has pleaded not guilty to charges he tried to help the Islamic State group.
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A judge ordered that Al-Hardan be held without bail after prosecutors argued he was a flight risk and a danger to the community, it said.
Hardan’s arrest coincided with that of Iraqi-born Aws Mohammed Younis al-Jayab, who was arrested last week in California on charges that he lied about his travel to Syria, where he allegedly fought with a group later associated with IS.
Authorities say the 23-year-old went to Syria to fight in late 2013 and early 2014, but falsely told investigators he was visiting his grandmother in Turkey.
Federal agent testified that Al Hardan plotted to blow up the Galleria Mall and the old Sharpstown Mall, now known as PlazAmericas.
Al Hardan’s older brother, Saeed Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, has said his sibling has denied any wrongdoing and that neither his sibling nor anybody in their family had ever expressed any support for the Islamic State. Republican presidential candidate Sen. “I want to blow myself up”.
Prosecutors allege Al Hardan was coordinating efforts with another Iraqi refugee living in California to get weapons training and eventually sneak into Syria to fight alongside the terrorist group. He told the court the investigation into Al Hardan began in April 2014. The government presented photo and video evidence of Al Hardan training with an automatic AK-47 at a farm outside of Houston. Wittliff testified that the informant met with al Hardan in June 2014, the first of 17 meetings they had.
“I can’t speak to that”, Witliff said.
The two arrests come as the USA refugee policy remains under scrutiny, and they prompted prominent Texas politicians to call for change.
A special agent with Homeland Security was the only witness to take the stand during the hearing Wednesday.
David Adler, Al Hardan’s court-appointed attorney, kicked off his cross-examination by telling Witliff he counted upwards of 25 non-essential government employees watching the proceedings, and asking if they were in the courtroom for a reason, or if they were “just wasting taxpayer money”. “I once again urge the President to halt the resettlement of these refugees in the United States until there is an effective vetting process that will ensure refugees do not compromise the safety of Americans and Texans”.
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”. During a break in testimony, al Hardan scratched his heard, rubbed his eyes, yawned and looked at people in the gallery, while three USA marshals stood chatting in a semicircle behind him.
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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick also contended that the arrests in Houston and Sacramento “may have prevented a catastrophic terror-related event in making and saved countless lives” should refugees are prohibited from entering the country.
