Explosives suspects face new charges

TAMPA -- A federal grand jury has indicted Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed on new charges, less than two weeks before the former University of South Florida students are scheduled to go on trial for illegally transporting explosive materials across state lines.

The seven-count indictment, filed Tuesday, supersedes a two-count indictment handed up Aug. 29. That indictment charged both men with illegally transporting explosive material and charged Mohamed with demonstrating how to make an explosive device.

The new indictment also charges Megahed, 22, and Mohamed, 26, with possessing an unregistered firearm or destructive device. It includes charges against Mohamed similar to those that a USF graduate faced in connection with a visit to a Tampa gun range.

Mohamed has been charged in the new indictment with illegally possessing a firearm, violating his student visa. Karim Moussaoui, 28, was found guilty by a jury earlier this month on a similar charge and is in jail awaiting sentencing.

Megahed is a legal resident and can legally possess a firearm.

Megahed and Mohamed have been in custody since their Aug. 4 arrest near Goose Creek, South Carolina. A sheriff's deputy stopped them for speeding and searched their car when he became suspicious. He found what prosecutors have described as low-grade explosives. The defendants have said they were homemade fireworks.

Mohamed is charged with all seven counts of the new indictment. If convicted of all the charges, he could potentially go to prison for between 10 years and life. If convicted on the charges of transporting explosive materials and possessing an unregistered firearm or destructive device, Megahed faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on each count.

The pair are scheduled to go to trial on the explosives charge on April 28. Mohamed is scheduled for trial May 12 on the charge of demonstrating how to make an explosive device. Prosecutors said he posted a video to YouTube, showing how to turn a remote control toy into a detonator.

-Kevin Graham, Times staff writer