FBI: Florida man scouted terror targets and attack weapons

A Florida man is charged with providing material support to Islamic State extremist group, including attempting to buy multiple weapons and scouting potential targets for an attack in Tampa Bay area, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

A criminal complaint charges Muhammed Momtaz Al-Azhari, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. charge carries a potential 20-year prison term.

A public defender listed in court records for Al-Azhari did t immediately respond to an email Wednesday seeking comment on his behalf.

An FBI affidavit says Al-Azhari was recorded as expressing miration for Omar Mateen, deceased shooter at Orlando Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016, and even drove re to scope out location. In a conversation with a confidential informant, FBI says Al-Azhari said “that's how I want to die, to be honest.”

informant n asked how many people Al-Azhari wanted to kill.

“I don’t want to take four or five, . I want to take at least 50,” Al-Azhari replied on recording, according to affidavit. “You kw like, bror Omar Mateen in Orlando did. He took 49 with him.”

affidavit also details how Al-Azhari negotiated with an undercover FBI employee to purchase a variety of guns and silencers, including an AK-47-style rifle. He was arrested Sunday after taking possession of weapons allegedly to be used in an attack.

“We are grateful for hard work and swift action by our law enforcement partners and concerned citizens during this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez, whose district includes Tampa. “ir coordination and cooperation in this matter allowed us to interrupt a serious threat, without harm to anyone.”

According to affidavit, Al-Azhari scouted a number of targets in Tampa Bay region, including beaches, parks and even Tampa FBI field office. He also allegedly rehearsed what he would say when carrying out an attack, some of which was intercepted by electronic surveillance on May 16.

“Kw America. Today is your emergency. Today we kill from you guys like you killed from us," he is overheard saying, according to affidavit. “This is a revenge for Muslims.”

Court-ordered searches of Al-Azhari's iPhone also revealed numerous videos and statements attributed to Islamic State group. Ar video, FBI says, shows Al-Azhari in a facemask and pointing a gun at presumably someone on floor.

“Hey you, get on floor. Get on floor w. Don’t you move, don’t you move, I’m telling you, I will kill you," he says on video.

Al-Azhari h previously been convicted in Saudi Arabia in 2015 of terror-related crimes, including attempting to join a terrorist group. He served three years in prison in Saudi Arabia and n was deported to U.S., according to FBI. He lived in California and since 2019 in Tampa area.

A key to case was an eBay transaction in which Al-Hazhari purchased weapons parts from someone in Texas. pack was halted by U.S. Postal Service and eBay flagged purchase. seller n provided FBI nts with details about deal and Postal Service seized pack.