A 20-year-old Saudi student, arrested by the FBI for plotting to bomb US nuclear plants and former President George Bush's Dallas home, is expected to plead not guilty to the charges.
Khalid Aldawsari appeared at a federal courthouse in Texas on Friday after being arrested on Wednesday on charges of attempting to "use a weapon of mass destruction."
The Saudi resident did not enter an official plea at the appearance. His next court hearing has been set for March
11, when he will enter an official plea.
"I request that everyone take a step back and allow the legal proceedings to unfold in a timely and orderly fashion," Aldawsari's lawyer Rod Hobson said in a statement.
Hobson said his client will enter a "not guilty" plea and "as an accused person, Aldawsari is presumed innocent."
"The eyes of the world are on this case and the treatment of this accused person. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show the world how truly fair our legal system is, even to those who are accused of trying to harm our country," he added.
At the hearing, Aldawsari responded to US magistrate judge Nancy Koenig that he understood the charges against him.
Aldawsari, who had researched online on how to construct an improvised explosive device using several chemicals as ingredients, will remain in custody until the March 11 detention and preliminary hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, Aldawsari had come to the US in 2008 on a student visa and had been planning to commit terrorist attacks in the country for years.
The emails he sent to himself had the subject line 'Targets' and contained names and home addresses of three American citizens, who had previously served in US military and had been stationed for a time at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
One e-mail titled 'Tyrant's House' had the Dallas address of former US President George Bush. In an another email titled 'Nice Targets 01', Aldawsari allegedly sent himself the names of 12 reservoir dams in Colorado and California.
He conducted research on potential terror targets in the US including hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants, besides acquiring most of the ingredients and equipment
necessary to construct the explosive devices.
The Saudi citizen faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a USD 250,000 fine if convicted of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
In journals found by FBI agents in his home, Aldawsari wrote that he obtained a particular scholarship because it allowed him to come directly to the US and helped him financially, which he said "will help tremendously in providing me with the support I need for Jihad."
"And now, after mastering the English language,learning how to build explosives and continuous planning to target the infidel Americans, it is time for Jihad," he wrote in his journal.
He also wrote that "one operation in the land of the infidels is equal to ten operations against occupying forces in the land of the Muslims."
In an another entry, Aldawsari wrote that he was near to reaching his goal and getting weapons to use against infidels and their helpers.
He also listed a "synopsis of important steps" that included obtaining a forged US birth certificate, renting a car, using different driver's licenses, putting bombs in cars and taking them to different places during rush hour and leaving the city for a safe place.
Aldawsari came on the FBI radar after he placed an order for a toxic chemical phenol with a chemical supplier, who in turn reported this to the investigating agency.