Student's Arraignment In Terror Case Delayed

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI The Tampa Tribune

Published: Oct 17, 2007

TAMPA - A federal judge has postponed an arraignment for a University of South Florida student accused of trying to help terrorists.

Ahmed Mohamed's arraignment, which had been scheduled for today, now is set for Oct. 25, after the defendant's attorney, John Fitzgibbons, asked for more time to finalize his representation.

Mohamed, 26, was arrested Aug. 4 along with fellow USF student Youssef Megahed, 21, after South Carolina deputies found explosives in the trunk of the car in which they were riding, authorities said. Both men were indicted by a federal grand jury in Tampa on a charge of transporting explosives without a license.

Mohamed also was charged with trying to help terrorists by teaching or demonstrating the use of explosives.

Fitzgibbons, a former federal prosecutor, wrote in a motion filed Tuesday that officials in the Egyptian government have approved hiring him to represent Mohamed but that the financial arrangements have not been finalized. He asked a judge to postpone Mohamed's arraignment.

Fitzgibbons says a hearing probably will not be necessary anyway because he plans to waive it and file Mohamed's not guilty plea by mail.

Mohamed, in the United States on a student visa and sponsored by the Egyptian government, is having his legal representation financed by Egypt. His father is a high-ranking official in Cairo.

Megahed, a legal permanent resident of the United States, is being represented by the federal public defender's office.