DAR AL HARB - U.S.A. - FLORIDA: "ALLAH, ALLAH, ALLAH, YOU WILL ALL DIE"

Man Accused Of Yelling Bomb Threats Held On $750,000 Bond

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The man accused of threatening to blow up a downtown building on Sunday was ordered held on $750,000 bond on charges of making a bomb threat and resisting arrest.

Police said Yousseff Bouchlarhem, 34, made threatening statements in both Arabic and English saying, "Allah is great," "I am going to blow this place up" and "Kill me," according to Micheal Edwards, director of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Department of Investigations and Homeland Security.

Authorities from Jacksonville's terrorism task force closed off a roughly 10-block downtown area around Hemming Plaza for nearly five hours on Sunday while they searched the area. No explosive device was found.

A witness called authorities around 11:45 a.m. to report a man who was behaving strangely in the middle of Laura Street.

When officers arrived and attempted to detain Bouchlarhem, he physically resisted and had to be restrained. According to the arrest report, as he was placed in the back of a patrol car, he continued to scream, "Allah, Allah, Allah, you will all die."

Police said a car nearby that turned out to be registered to Bouchlarhem was playing loud music in Arabic. The bomb squad investigated, but nothing was found, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Lauri-Ellen Smith said.

Authorities searched Bouchlarhem's apartment on Bert Road in Arlington, but did not find any evidence of bomb making materials, Edwards said.

After bond was set, Bouchlarhem mumbled something to the judge that no one could make out, then was led from the courtroom. His arraignment was scheduled for July 24.

On the arrest report, Bouchlarhem was listed and white and his birthplace was Morocco.


Pertinent Links:

1) Man Accused Of Yelling Bomb Threats Held On $750,000 Bond