Tipsheet

BREAKING: Saudi National Arrested for Planning to Use WMD

UPDATE III: A list of targets has been released. According to an affidavit obtained by local news station KCBD, Aldawsari posted on his blog that he was practicing jihad and planned to carry out attacks on U.S. Military Members.

Aldawsari conducted research on various targets and e-mailed himself information on these locations and people.   One of the documents he sent himself, with the subject line listed as "Targets," allegedly contained the names and home addresses of three American citizens who had previously served in the U.S. military and had been stationed for a time at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

In another e-mail titled "NICE TARGETS 01," Aldawsari allegedly sent himself the names of 12 reservoir dams in Colorado and California.  In another e-mail to himself, titled "NICE TARGETS," he listed two categories of targets: hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants.  On Feb. 6, 2011, the affidavit alleges, Aldawsari sent himself an e-mail titled "Tyrant's House," in which he listed the Dallas address for former President George W. Bush.  The affidavit also alleges that Aldawsari conducted research that could indicate his consideration of the use of infant dolls to conceal explosives and possible targeting of a nightclub with an explosive concealed in a backpack.

The affidavit also alleges that Aldawsari created a blog in which he posted extremist messages.  In one posting, he expressed dissatisfaction with current conditions of Muslims and vowed jihad and martyrdom. "You who created mankind….grant me martyrdom for Your sake and make jihad easy for me only in Your path," he wrote.



A Saudi National has been arrested in Texas after planning to target the Dallas home of President George W. Bush with a weapon of mass destruction. Aldawsari allegedly has been researching how to build bombs with dangerous chemicals and planned to hide explosives in plastic dolls placed in baby carriages to blow up dams, government buildings and homes. Aldawsari also planned to target popular night clubs.


Update II: Turns out Aldawsari was given a scholarship to study in Texas.

UPDATE - The New York Post has a few more details:

A Saudi man has been arrested for allegedly buying chemicals and equipment to make a bomb and researching US targets, including the Dallas home of former President George W. Bush, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, 20, a Saudi national and a legal resident of Texas, was arrested late Wednesday and faces charges of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

He is expected to make his first court appearance in Texas on Friday.