AZ Bombing Suspect Had $20K in Bank, 1000+ Rounds of Ammo

The man that federal prosecutors have charged in the bombing last Friday that rocked a Social Security Administration office in Casa Grande, Arizona appeared in federal court in Phoenix on Monday. The suspect, Abdullatif Aldosary, is a 47 year-old Iraqi refugee that was convicted and served eight months in prison in 2008 for making threats against his former employer.

New details have emerged from the criminal complaint filed against Aldosary based on information obtained by the FBI in a search of Aldosary’s home Friday evening.

The new case details include:

1) When they conducted the search warrant, they discovered his bomb making notes behind a photograph on the wall. He had been researching how to obtain ammonium nitrate and also how to make RDX, a powerful explosive favored by international terrorists.

2) They also found a handgun and a rifle with more than a thousand rounds of ammo, although he was prohibited from possessing a firearm after his felony conviction. Felony possession charges may be added to the existing charges from Friday’s explosion.

3) The FBI is also looking into where Aldosary received his income. When they checked his bank account, as recently as September he had $20,000+ in the bank, and yet had no visible means of support. He was a convicted federal felon and an occasional day laborer. He lived in a nice neighborhood in Coolidge, Arizona and bought his house in 2008.

4) During his court hearing yesterday, Aldosary refused to address the court, even refusing to state his name or a plea. His public defender also said that her client refused to speak to her. Aldosary will have another hearing on Wednesday.

Early Tuesday morning I spoke with a contact in the FBI Phoenix field office (who is not authorized to speak on behalf of the FBI) who said that the case is being handled by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The source added that they believe based on the materials found in the house and other items not in the complaint that Friday’s bombing was a “test run” for future attacks. Aldosary was arrested by police within 90 minutes of the bombing because workers at the Social Security office had got his license plate number at the scene.

Keep in mind that the national media had barely covered the incident and had not even identified Aldosary as the suspect until I noted the media blackout in an article I filed Sunday evening. Now the case is receiving national media attention.

We will bring you more details on this case as we have them.