Another nut off the streets.
cnn.com
Florida man plotted mosque attacks, feds say
August 23, 2002 Posted: 11:19 PM EDT (0319 GMT)
SEMINOLE, Florida (CNN) -- A Florida
doctor arrested after police found more
than 15 homemade explosive devices in
his home drafted a detailed plan to blow
up a Muslim educational center,
investigators said Friday.
A search of Robert J. Goldstein's residence
also turned up a list of about 50 Islamic
worship centers in the Tampa-St.
Petersburg area and other locations in
Florida, according to a court papers.
Goldstein, who was taken into custody after
his wife called police Thursday night, has
been charged with one count of possessing
destructive devices and one count of
attempting to damage and destroy buildings
by means of explosive devices.
Attached to the criminal complaint against
Goldstein was a three-page "mission
template" for an attack on an unidentified
"Islam education center," which included a map of the center showing where
bombs would be placed.
The document said the objective was to "Kill all
'rags' at this Islamic Education Center -- ZERO
residual presence -- maximum effect."
Deputies from the Pinellas County Sheriff's
Department were summoned to the Goldstein home
Thursday night, after his wife, Kristi, called to
report that he had threatened to kill her, according to
the court affidavit. She authorized agents to search
the premises, where they found more than 15
homemade bombs.
Goldstein surrendered to officers and was taken to a
local hospital for psychiatric evaluation, the sheriff's department said. Friday
afternoon, he made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court and was being held
in federal custody, said Special Agent Carlos Baixaulia of the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms.
In addition to the 15 and 20 explosive devices that were found, there were also
enough bomb components in the home to to make 30 to 40 more devices, Baixaulia
said.
Deputies also found books on how to make explosives and devices that could be
used to explode bombs by remote control, along with homemade C-4 -- a type of
explosive -- hand grenades and homemade military mines, the sheriff's department
said.
Authorities also recovered 30 to 40 weapons, including semi-automatic weapons
and a .50-caliber sniper rifle, the sheriff's department said. |
