Judge: Suspected conspirator in Texas attack remains in custody

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered a Phoenix carpet cleaner to be held without bail for what the FBI says is his role in planning to shoot up a controversial rally in Texas last month.

Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem was indicted last week by a federal grand jury on felony charges of conspiracy, lying to federal agents and crossing state lines to furnish weapons for the failed gun attack.

Abdul Kareem, 43, pleaded not guilty on all counts.

But in a 90-minute hearing, government attorneys argued that Abdul Kareem is "off the charts dangerous." Abdul Kareem's lawyer countered that the case was "all smoke and mirrors" and hinged on a completely unreliable informant.

On May 3, Phoenix roommates Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi were shot dead by police in Garland, Texas, as they rushed toward the venue of a cartoon contest to lampoon the Prophet Mohammed. They brandished semi-automatic rifles and wore body armor.

The government says Abdul Kareem helped plan the attack starting in January, the day of the Paris shootings of Charlie Hebdo magazine offices, but weeks before the Texas cartoon contest was announced. According to the indictment, Abdul Kareem discussed the cartoons, which many Muslims find offensive, acquired weapons and took Simpson, 31, and Soofi, 34, to the desert for shooting practice.

That practice involved the same three assault rifles found in Texas, FBI Special Agent Dina McCarthy testified on Tuesday. She said the information came from a witness who attended the desert shooting and saw pictures of the weapons found on Simpson's and Soofi's bodies.

U.S. District Court Judge Bridget Bade also heard extensive testimony about the FBI's dealings with a paid confidential source that came forward after the shootings.

That source alleged that Abdul Kareem asked him to help acquire pipe bombs, body armor and silencers, McCarthy testified. The source, who was paid $500, told agents he heard Abdul Kareem say he wanted to join ISIS and plot an attack on Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale.

In addition, the government told the judge they recovered extremist material from Abdul Kareem's computer and a storage device he claimed wasn't his. It contained such items as Global Islamic Media Front, which McCarthy said was a document used by extremists to evade authorities.

"This defendant is dangerous. He is off-the-charts dangerous," Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Brook said. "This was an attempted mass murder."

But Dan Maynard, Abdul Kareem's attorney, lambasted the case.

"This case is all smoke and mirrors, based on confidential source that is not reliable at all," Maynard said. "This is a typical, typical jailhouse snitch."

Maynard pointed out that the informant had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, kidnapping and sex trafficking.

He also said his client had volunteered to be interviewed by the FBI on May 6, was arrested a month later and did nothing in between to seek weapons or flee.

Maynard repeatedly questioned the FBI about what steps it took to confirm any of the allegations made by its informant. McCarthy repeatedly said she was unaware of details.

"The government has tried its best to frighten everyone that this is a violent man," Maynard said. "He is a normal citizen who just happens to believe in a different faith than most of us."

Abdul Kareem converted to Islam and, in January 2013, legally changed his name from Decarus Lowell Thomas, citing religious reasons, according to court documents. Public records show he was born in Philadelphia and owned a Phoenix cleaning and moving business called Git-R-Done Moving Services.

Court records show Abdul Kareem has had several run-ins with the law in the Valley since 1997. He pleaded no contest to felony disorderly conduct and guilty to two DUI charges.

Maynard said Abdul Kareem suffered from post-traumatic stress symptoms and had been shot in the back during a robbery.

Under questioning the FBI confirmed that it had searched Abdul Kareem's apartment in 2012, recovered the computer and returned it.

After the hearing, Abdul Kareem's brother, James Newman, told reporters he was shocked at the accusations.

"He's a loving family member," Newman said outside the courthouse. "He would never do anything like this."

Asked about the government's depiction that Abdul Kareem was dangerous, he offered just one word: "inaccurate."

"I'm just waiting for the truth to come out," Newman said. "He will have his day in court."