Terror suspect held with no bail

Tarek Mehanna “has demonstrated his ongoing support of terrorism, both by his own recorded statements and by investing his time and effort in promoting terrorism,’’ US Magistrate Judge Leo T. Sorokin wrote in a 13-page ruling. “No condition or combination of conditions mitigates the serious risk of danger Mehanna poses.’’

J.W. Carney Jr., the Boston lawyer who represents Mehanna, said: “I am disappointed in the decision, but we are not discouraged in our defense of Tarek. We look forward to a trial where the jurors can base their decision on all of the evidence and not just on excerpts selected by the prosecutors.’’

No trial date has been set.

Mehanna, 27, has been in custody since his Oct. 21 arrest and has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Boston to an indictment charging him with providing and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, and making false statements to federal agents.

Prosecutors allege that Mehanna and a friend, Ahmad Abousamra, 28, formerly of Mansfield, traveled to Yemen and tried to join a terrorist training camp but were rejected, then plotted to shoot shoppers at a suburban mall but scrapped the plan because they could not get automatic weapons. They also are accused, but not charged, with plotting to kill two unidentified government officials.

Abousamra, who has been indicted with Mehanna, is believed to be in Syria, according to court filings.

During a hearing last week packed by Mehanna supporters, Carney argued that the suspect should be released to live with his parents in Sudbury. Mehanna earned a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and was recently working at a pharmacy and teaching at an Islamic school in Worcester.

Carney said that Mehanna, who was initially arrested in November 2008 on a charge of lying to investigators, had not tried to flee and did not pose a danger to anyone while on bail before his recent arrest.

Dozens of friends and students of Mehanna wrote letters to Sorokin, describing him as peaceful, humorous, and kind.

In his ruling, Sorokin wrote: “The court credits this evidence. However, the court has before it evidence that there is another side to Mehanna.’’

He cited evidence detailed in a 75-page memorandum filed by prosecutors, including Internet chatter and other information seized from Mehanna’s computer by the FBI, secret recordings, and accounts from witness interviews.

Prosecutors said Mehanna, an Internet blogger, promoted jihad, or holy war, online, hoped to become part of Al Qaeda’s “media wing,’’ and translated numerous documents from Arabic to English for a jihadist website, including “39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad.’’

Sorokin found that the evidence presented by prosecutors “shows Mehanna promoted terrorist activities, encouraged others to engage in terrorism, recruited others to participate in terrorism, and protected, or attempted to protect, a terrorist from law enforcement scrutiny.’’

Referring to the defense assertion that Mehanna is being prosecuted for unpopular views and statements that are protected by the First Amendment, Sorokin said, “The court has detained Mehanna because the evidence establishes that he poses both a risk of flight and that he poses a danger to the community. This ruling presents no First Amendment concerns.’’