FBI searches another house in "firecracker case"...
FBI raids Florida home
wcbd.com
Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 - 10:35 PM Updated: 11:42 AM
By Tara Lynn
A homeowner in Florida is speaking out after the FBI searched a home where Ahmed Mohamed was planning to move-in. Berkeley County authorities arrested Mohamed and Youseff Megahed a week ago for carrying explosives in their car. They remain in jail.
Ahmed Mohamed never lived in the Tampa house. He's never paid rent, met the owner or signed a lease, but he did store some of his things in the garage. That's all the FBI needed to search the Florida home Saturday.
"I feel bad, you know, I feel this thing should never happen," said homeowner Noor Salhab.
He says the house is up for sale and until somebody makes a purchase -- his son and another roommate are renting it. He says one of the renters told Mohammad he could move in. His son says he never met Mohamed ...but does remember Youseff Megahed coming to the house.
"No, I've actually never seen him before,” said the son. “I saw his picture on the air, and I recognize the other individual, I've seen him here, but the other one I've never seen."
Ahmed Bedier, executive director of the Tampa chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, says says the FBI did take a suitcase that belonged to Mohamed-- but also grabbed other items that weren't his.
“They seized the gas can they said was used for the lawn mower. They took some PVC pipes they said were used to repair the sprinkler system to the house,” he said the homeowner told him.
“You know, some silly stuff. Some soap and stuff like that," added the homeowner.
The federal government still hasn't filed charges against the two men...and Bedier wants the evidence to speak for itself.
“Evidence does not lie. Evidence will always lead to the truth and if these kids did something wrong they should be held accountable.”
He says that decision must be based on the evidence and not suspicion.
Youseff Megahed's family is back in Florida after visiting their son this weekend.
We’re told they brought him a copy of the Qur’an -- and a prayer mat. |
