A Bangladeshi-American man seeking “establishment of Islamic law” was arrested in Florida for allegedly planning bomb attacks against two college officials, said federal authorities.
Salman Rashid, 23, of North Miami Beach was charged with soliciting another person to commit a violent crime, according to a statement from the US Department of Justice.
Rashid allegedly targeted two deans at Miami Dade College and Broward College, institutions from which he had been expelled. He reportedly told an FBI agent, who was working undercover, that he wanted the attack to be “as big as possible”.
According to court documents, the FBI initiated an investigation into Rashid in April 2018 after reviewing his Facebook posts. In his posts, he advocated for the “violent overthrow of democracy and establishment of Islamic law”.
The FBI also came to know of threats made allegedly by Rashid over text messages to a female student at Miami Dade College. The texts, according to reports in the local media, detailed unrequited romantic feelings Rashid expressed to her.
"You will not have excuses, will not be given a choice and will have to come close to me," a portion of one of the messages read, according to the complaint filed in the court. The alleged harassment prompted the student to file a complain against him to the college authorities.
He was suspended from the college in December 2018 and later also expelled from Broward College for failing to disclose the disciplinary action against him at Miami Dade College.
In May 2019, Rashid is reported to have asked the undercover source to contact members of ISIS and instruct those ISIS members to carry out a terrorist attack on his behalf.
“Rashid continued to instruct the confidential source throughout the summer and fall, indicating that an attack on a religious building or nightclub "would be suitable,” says the document.
Based on Rashid’s request, the FBI introduced an additional undercover operative, who presented himself as a member of ISIS willing to conduct an attack.
On November 8-9 this month, Rashid allegedly chose two individuals to target the two deans at Miami Dade College and Broward College and provided them the locations to place the devices.
“Rashid indicated the Miami dean and the Broward dean were not just Rashid’s enemies but also ‘enemies of Islam, enemies of Allah,’ ” the complaint said.
If convicted, Rashid faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. His pretrial detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.