Terror Suspects Planned Mass Casualties in NY

Sheheryar Alam Qazi -- Raees Alam Qazi
(Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

The younger of two Oakland Park brothers charged with supporting terrorism went to New York from Fort Lauderdale in November planning to cause mass casulaties by blowing himself up or setting off a bomb, but decided it was too expensive, federal prosecutors said in court Tuesday.

Prosecutors disclosed the information during a hearing when Raees Alam Qazi, 20, asked to be released from detention until he goes to trial. A judge ruled he is a flight risk and potential danger to the community and must remain locked up because of the seriousness of the charges and the evidence presented in court.

Following his ill-fated trip, Qazi took a Greyhound bus back to South Florida and was still planning to do "a task" with the logistical and financial support of his older brother, Sheheryar Alam Qazi, 30, according to prosecutors.

"Mr. [Raees] Qazi said in his post-arrest statement that he was riding around on his bike in New York City looking for targets but he never specifically picked one," FBI Special Agent Kristine Holden testified in federal court in Fort Lauderdale.

The younger Qazi also tried to determine how big the crowds were in Times Square, on Wall Street and at theaters in the city, the agent said.

Qazi told investigators he came back to Broward County to "practice" for a bombing, investigators said. Agents said he told them that he tried to build an explosive device at his Oakland Park home but it failed. In a search of his home, they said they found evidence including a cut section of Christmas tree lights, two batteries taped together, parts of a remote-control toy car and high-strength peroxide.

Prosecutors said that he reached out to al-Qaida and read the terrorist group's online magazine, including an article headlined "make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom."

Raees Qazi's anger toward the U.S. was allegedly fueled by the military's unmanned drone attacks and deaths in Afghanistan.

Fortunately, the two alleged terrorists don't seem particularly bright. Unfortunately, terrorists don't need to be bright to cause death and destruction.