DALLAS, TEXAS—
A 19-year-old Jordanian citizen accused of attempting to blow up a 60-story skyscraper in downtown Dallas pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday.Hosam "Sam" Smadi was indicted earlier this month on one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and one count of bombing a place of public use.
Smadi is accused of trying to detonate an inactive car bomb underneath the Foundation Place building at 1445 Ross Ave. Federal officials arrested him Sept. 24 as he tried to trigger the bomb.
During a 15-minute arraignment hearing Monday morning, Smadi answered a series of questions from U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn of the Northern District of Texas.
Lynn asked Smadi about his education and medical background before asking him if he understood the indictment against him.
The soft-spoken Smadi answered, "Yes, I think I do."
Smadi also told the judge that he learned English while living in Jordan and was educated up to an 11th grade level. He said he left Jordan to come to the United States to study, but he also began working at a local restaurant.
Lynn asked Smadi whether he understood English and whether he needed a translator present.
"I think I can speak," he said. A translator continued to offer the 19-year-old translations throughout the hearing.
Smadi was arrested after he parked an SUV packed with what he thought were explosives in a garage underneath the Fountain Place building. He was with undercover federal officials when he then attempted to detonate the bomb.
Federal officials began investigating the 19-year-old after he repeatedly on an extremist Web site that he wanted to carry out a violent jihad on U.S. soil.
Officials, who were posing as members of an al-Qaeda sleeper cell, began talking to Smadi about his plans. Eventually, officials provided Smadi with an inactive bomb and an SUV for the bombing.
Smadi's trial is likely to begin in April.
