A man who allegedly claimed he wanted to start a holy war in Memphis will return to court Jan. 11 on charges of threatening to blow up several businesses on Christmas Day.
Mohamed Ibrahim
Mohamed Ibrahim, 35, is charged with commission of a terrorist act, false reporting and disorderly conduct. He is in the Shelby County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
The case has been referred to the FBI in Memphis for further investigation, according to the charges.
Friday afternoon, Memphis police dispatchers issued an alert that a man driving a black Chrysler PT Cruiser had threatened to "blow up the business" at 300 Poplar, a BP gas station.
A Memphis officer stopped the vehicle at Front Street and Jackson Avenue.
The driver refused to identify himself to police, and appeared to be hiding something, according to the arresting officer.
After Ibrahim was arrested and placed in a police cruiser, he began cursing police and attempting to kick out the windows, according to the charges. Officers subdued him with pepper spray.
Police determined that Ibrahim had earlier that day made threats to blow up seven other businesses around town, according to the charges.
Memphis police bomb squad officers checked the vehicle for explosives, then towed it to the impound lot.
An FBI agent called to the scene recovered three cassette tapes described as "Islamic" in a police affidavit, and took the GPS from the vehicle.
Court records show that Ibrahim had been arrested two days earlier with a 10-inch butcher knife concealed in his jacket sleeve and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. He was released on $100 bond.
That day, Ibrahim had threatened other businesses and "stated he was a Muslim, and wanted to start jihad here in Memphis," according to the weapon charge.
Mohamed IbrahimMohamed Ibrahim, 35, is charged with commission of a terrorist act, false reporting and disorderly conduct. He is in the Shelby County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
The case has been referred to the FBI in Memphis for further investigation, according to the charges.
Friday afternoon, Memphis police dispatchers issued an alert that a man driving a black Chrysler PT Cruiser had threatened to "blow up the business" at 300 Poplar, a BP gas station.
A Memphis officer stopped the vehicle at Front Street and Jackson Avenue.
The driver refused to identify himself to police, and appeared to be hiding something, according to the arresting officer.
After Ibrahim was arrested and placed in a police cruiser, he began cursing police and attempting to kick out the windows, according to the charges. Officers subdued him with pepper spray.
Police determined that Ibrahim had earlier that day made threats to blow up seven other businesses around town, according to the charges.
Memphis police bomb squad officers checked the vehicle for explosives, then towed it to the impound lot.
An FBI agent called to the scene recovered three cassette tapes described as "Islamic" in a police affidavit, and took the GPS from the vehicle.
Court records show that Ibrahim had been arrested two days earlier with a 10-inch butcher knife concealed in his jacket sleeve and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. He was released on $100 bond.
That day, Ibrahim had threatened other businesses and "stated he was a Muslim, and wanted to start jihad here in Memphis," according to the weapon charge.
