A 17-year-old from Harris County has become the first person to be indicted for terrorism under a newly enacted Texas law, county officials confirmed.
Court Appearance and Charges
Laith Adil Shehzad made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon, appearing in an orange jumpsuit. Despite the gravity of the charges, witnesses noted that he showed no signs of nervousness, even turning away from the judge at one point to smile at television cameras.
However, prosecutors have presented alarming allegations against him.
According to court records, the FBI was first alerted to Shehzad’s activities in August 2024 by Meta, the parent company of Facebook. Investigators claim that Shehzad engaged in online conversations with an alleged ISIS militant imprisoned in the Philippines.
Authorities say that on August 17, 2024, Shehzad sent multiple photos of himself posing with a Glock handgun and extended magazines via Facebook Messenger. The following day, when FBI agents arrived at his home to speak with his parents, Shehzad allegedly attempted to dispose of the weapon and ammunition by dumping them in a detention pond before cooperating with investigators.
Radicalization and Past Incidents
During the court proceedings, prosecutors stated that Shehzad had asked the militant for advice on dying as a martyr. Additionally, they revealed that he had previously been under juvenile supervision for possession of homemade explosive devices.
Court documents also show that investigators discovered a journal filled with extremist propaganda. Officials believe Shehzad’s radical beliefs date back to at least 2021, when, at just 13 years old, he admitted to self-radicalization and adherence to ISIS ideology.
Defense Response
Shehzad’s newly appointed attorney, John Stevenson, expressed uncertainty about the case’s severity.
“Kids do stupid stuff all the time,” Stevenson told ABC13 Houston. “I don’t know enough of the facts to know if their beliefs are justified or not.”
He described Shehzad as “young and scared” and noted that it is not uncommon for teenagers to post images with firearms on social media.
“This is Texas. Lots of people have guns,” Stevenson added. “Obviously, this is a case involving a lot of words where no one really got hurt, so it’s just something we’ve got to dig into and learn all the facts about.”
Missed Attack and Legal Consequences
Prosecutors revealed another chilling detail in court—Shehzad allegedly attempted to carry out an attack but was unable to do so because his Uber account had been suspended.
Shehzad remains in jail without bond. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
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