UPDATED:
Aziz Sayyed was arrested in Huntsville last month on terrorism charges, and details are now emerging about the plans he was crafting.
According to WHNT 19 News, Madison County Assistant District Attorney Jay Town told the judge at Sayyed’s bond hearing that the suspect planned to bomb a law enforcement center in Huntsville with enough explosives to raze the entire building. The prosecutor said Sayyed had also been watching videos that would help him build a bomb similar to the one used in the Manchester, England terrorist attack that claimed the lives of killed 22 innocent victims and injured 200 more. Explosives were found in Sayyed’s apartment following his arrest, and Town told the court Sayyed intended to use them in Madison County shortly after he was arrested. Prosecutors also said Sayyed had been watching ISIS videos and was using plywood to hone his beheading techniques with a knife.
The prosecution pleaded with the judge to deny his bond request. Madison County District Judge Schuyler Richardson is considering the bond request, although the prosecutors believe he’s a flight risk. Rocket City Now quoted Prosecutor Tim Gann as saying “He is absolutely a clear and present danger to our community or any community that he is released in.”
At a press conference following Sayyed’ mid-June arrest, said FBI agent Roger Stanton said, “We successfully mitigated a threat today with this arrest.” Only 22-years-old, Sayyed is charged with “Soliciting or Providing Support for Terrorism in the 2nd degree.” If convicted, Sayyed faces one to ten years in prison. His preliminary hearing is August. 2, 2017.
Police Chief Mark McMurray reminded citizens of the need to remain vigilant, noting: “Aziz Sayeed is a lesson for all of us—that no community is immune. We have safeguards in place to capture threats as they arrive and this is through community involvement. We don’t need to be more fearful, but we should all be more vigilant to keep our eyes open. If we see anything, we report it.”
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle concluded by applauding the efforts of law enforcement that stopped Sayyed before he could act:
We are fortunate to have excellent interagency cooperation between our law enforcement agencies, and that is essential in keeping our communities and our country safe. Huntsville police respond quickly to any new information of a reported threat, and they work closely with other law enforcement as needed.
