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Terror suspect's trial set for March 5
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Published: February 10, 2012
Updated: 02/10/2012 03:32 pm
TAMPA - A federal judge today set a March 5 trial date for a 25-year-old Pinellas Park man arrested last month in an alleged terrorist plot.
Sami Osmakac faces up to life behind bars if convicted of charges of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and possession of an unregistered machine gun. He pleaded not guilty on Thursday via a court filing submitted by his public defender.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven filed a notice of the scheduled trial on the court docket and directed the parties to submit written status updates on the 15th of each month.
The scheduling of a trial date does not necessarily mean that is the day the trial will be held. Often, parties will ask judges for postponements in trials to give them time to prepare, and those requests are frequently granted.
Osmakac, a naturalized citizen born in Kosovo, was arrested as part of an undercover sting by the FBI after authorities said he planned to attack a populated Tampa night spot, then take hostages and demand the release of Muslim prisoners.
Osmakac was taken into custody after an FBI sting in which he tried to buy explosives, at least 10 grenades, Uzis and an AK-47, authorities said.
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