Federal prosecutors charge Fla. man in ISIL Key West bomb plot

Kevin Johnson | USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A 23-year-old Florida man was charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction as part of an alleged Islamic State-inspired plot to detonate a timed-explosive on a Key West beach, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Harlem Suarez, also known as Almlak Benitez, was named in court documents outlining his alleged pursuit earlier this month of grenades and nails to be used in a backpack bomb that could be buried in the sand and detonated remotely.

"We can make it (bomb) with a phone...,'' Suarez allegedly told an FBI source in a July 16 telephone conversation that was recorded by authorities. "I can go to the beach at night time...put the thing in the sand...cover it up... so the next day I just call and the thing is gonna, is gonna make a real hard noise."

In a separate meeting with the source three days later, according to court documents, Suarez allegedly discussed "putting bombs under police cars, in front of police officers' homes and possibly purchasing a vehicle and building a car bomb.''

Suarez allegedly purchased two boxes of nails July 19 at a Home Depot store and later turned over the nails, a pre-paid cellular phone and backpack to the source. The source and Suarez had previously agreed that the source would take the items to an FBI undercover agent posing as an ISIL operative who would construct the actual bomb.

Suarez was arrested Monday,after accepting the device that had been previously rendered inert and posed no safety risk, according to court documents.

"There is no room for failure when it comes to investigating the potential use of a weapon of mass destruction," Miami FBI chief George L. Piro said.

According to the complaint, Suarez came to the attention of federal investigators in April when authorities were alerted to Facebook posts, containing extremist rhetoric that promoted ISIL.

The following month, the FBI source initiated contact with Suarez through the suspect's Facebook account during which they discussed "preparing for violent jihad against the United States.''

During those initial communications, according to court documents, Suarez, who referred to himself as a member of ISIL, indicated that he already possessed two Glock handguns and was seeking a rifle.

In mid-May, while meeting with the FBI source, Suarez allegedly expressed a desire to produce a ISIL recruitment video and allegedly dictated a script to the source.

"American soil is the past,'' Suarez's script stated in part. "We will destroy america and divide it in two, we will rais our black flag on top of your white house and any president on duty.''

The script, copied by the source, also included an apparent reference to a beheading of the president.

"No matter how many brothers of us they kill...we always will have leaders for us to follow, they will never destroy the islamic state.''

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