Key West Terror Suspect's Attorney Asks For Bail Hearing Delay
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A detention hearing for a Key West man accused of planning a terror attack in South Florida in the name of ISIS was postponed Monday.
The FBI arrested Harlem Suarez, a/k/a "Almlak Benitez," 23, of Stock Island, last week.
Defense Attorney Richard Della Fera asked for the delay so that he could review U.S. government surveillance of Suarez.
"I think what's going to come out eventually is, is that it was not his intention to blow up a bomb in a public area," Fera said.
Federal agents said Suarez, while living with his parents, planned to carry out an attack in South Florida on the Fourth of July to kill a large number of people. They said Suarez wanted to use a remote device and detonate a backpack bomb with nails at a beach in Key West.
Fera said 23-year-old is not bright and was possibly entrapped by the FBI.
"He is not a very intelligent young man, he is not a very articulate young man," Fera said.
Suarez did purchase two boxes of galvanized nails from The Home Depot.
"He was asked by the undercover agents who were conducting the sting to get the nails," Fera said.
Suarez is not fluent in English; he speaks primarily Spanish, according to his attorney. His parents have not commented, but in an exclusive interview with CBS4, his ex-girlfriend said she was shocked.
"He's not a terrorist," said his ex-girlfriend, Diane. "I don't think he's capable of doing it."
She said he would speak of ISIS but she didn't think it was significant.
Suarez's parents are paying for his private attorney. His next court date is set for August 11.
