A Saudi college student who was set to graduate from the University of New Mexico (UNM) was charged with possessing an illegal firearm, and law enforcement found a “list of people he planned to kill” that was allegedly made by the foreigner.
Hassan Alqahtani, a 27-year-old mechanical engineering student, reportedly had a kill list that included UNM professors. He is being charged with being a non-immigrant student visa holder in possession of a firearm in federal court, and additional charges may be levied because of the kill list.
According to an FBI affidavit, Alqahtani was in possession of a .380-caliber Cobra handgun that they found while searching his home last week. He is set to have his preliminary hearing today at the U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
Alqahtani was supposed to receive his bachelor degree from UNM on Saturday, but instead spent the weekend behind bars. His family was set to take him to Disneyworld to celebrate, but his plans were upended due to the charges. Now he may be looking at years in prison.
The authorities believe that Alqahtani wanted to obtain more guns. The individual who tipped the FBI off to his illegal weapon also told them that he had a “list of people who he wants to kill before he leaves the U.S.” This suggests that he may have been recruiting others into his plot, and the FBI believes his girlfriend, Sierra Shafer, may be an accomplice.
“Shafer is possibly conspiring with Alqahtani to conceal his possession of the firearm,” an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. “Shafer made additional statements that the two kept it out in the open in the bedroom and also used the firearm for protection when they traveled in Alqahtani’s vehicle.”
This comes just one week after Saudi National Mohammed Saeed Alshamrania opened fire at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, FL, murdering three people and wounding seven others:
The murderer responsible for gunning down 3 people and wounding seven others at Naval Air Station Pensacola was identified as Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani.
He is a Saudi national and a member of the Saudi Arabian military who was residing in the U.S. for aviation training.
The shooting is currently being investigated as a possible terror attack.
The assailant fired upon a classroom building where he killed at least three and wounded seven other people.
Two deputies responded to the murderer and took out the shooter, while sustaining gunshot wounds, according to a report from David Morgan, the Escambia County Sheriff. One of the officers was shot in the knee and the other in the shoulder. They are both expected to recover.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference once the dust cleared from the shooting.
Congressman Matt Gaetz immediately responded to this shooting by offering up an alternative to the current screening process that involves the entry of foreigners into the United States and who train at bases throughout the country.
While the U.S. may give aid and weapons to Saudi Arabia, it does not appear that the relationship is reciprocal. The Saudi government’s alleged role in the 9/11 terror attacks is more evidence that this foreign entanglement should be reconsidered.