Saudi student with illegally obtained gun found in possession of ‘kill list’

A Saudi student residing in the US, armed with illegally obtained firearms, was found in possession of a “kill list” that included a university professor.

Last Friday’s arrest of 27-year-old Hassan Alqahtani, who is being held by US authorities until his trial on a federal gun charge, comes over a week after a Saudi airman training in the US carried out a deadly terrorist attack killing three people at a US Navy base in Florida.

US Magistrate Judge Laura Fashing ruled yesterday that Alqahtani, who was studying mechanical engineering at the University of New Mexico in southwestern US, posed a danger to others and should be kept in federal custody.

Alqahtani was initially arrested for alleged domestic violence. A Federal prosecutor told the judge during the detention hearing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that Alqahtani held a gun to his girlfriend’s head and threatened to kill her.

Reported allegations of domestic violence was made by the family of Alqahtani’s wife. Testimonies of the Saudi student’s violent conduct was also given by the mother of Alqahtani’s girlfriend who told FBI agents that her daughter was scared he might attack her.

READ: US refuses to train Saudi intelligence following Khashoggi murder

Joel Meyers, one of Alqahtani’s attorneys, dismissed the allegations, telling federal prosecutors’ that the case was based on “flamboyant allegations” and flimsy evidence because it’s not known if Alqahtani owned the gun found at his home in New Mexico.

It’s reported that a tipster told the FBI that Alqahtani had what was described as a “kill list” which included a university professor, a former roommate and a person he previously fought.

American news agency, the Associated Press which reported the story, said that during the detention hearing, FBI Special Agent Jonathan Labuhn testified that informants told authorities they saw Alqahtani with a gun on a number of occasions and he even went practice shooting.

It’s believed that Alqahtani told one person he was a member of the Taliban and another person that if the gun was found, he’d say it belonged to his wife.