Language, Computer Experts Testify in Aldawsari Trial
By: Nick Ochsner
Updated: June 26, 2012
Jurors in the Khalid Aldawsari case spent the morning hearing from several FBI special agents who worked in the investigation into Aldawsari's alleged plot to build a weapon of mass destruction.
Early Monday morning, prosecutors questioned an FBI translator who translated the journals and websites written by Aldawsari.
The translator went through a list of Arabic words that he found in Aldawsari's writings, including jihad, mujahadeen, and shahid--a person who marches himself for the homeland. The translator testified that Aldawsari used these words in a violent context in a majority of his writings.
Federal prosecutors also called Special Agent Michael Morris to the stand. Morris is the head of the North Texas computer forensics lab and conducted the analysis of Aldawsari's computer.
Morris told the jury that he found numerous pieces of evidence on Aldawsari's computer that indicated his attempt to commit an act of terror.
Among the evidence, Aldawsari did nine searches for "picric acid", the highly explosive chemical Aldawsari was purchasing chemicals to make at the time of his arrest. He also did web searches for "improvised homemade picric acid" and "how to make blasting caps".
Morris also testified that Aldawsari searched for the FBI's terror watch list less than a day before his arrest.
Testimony is expected to continue Monday afternoon, when federal prosecutors will question an FBI special agent who took part in the covert wire-tapping of Aldawsari's apartment.
