Local News - Abdo Trial, Part One

Published: May 23, 2012, 5 a.m.

<p>The trial of AWOL Pfc. Naser Jason Abdo began in the U.S. District Court in Waco on Monday. Abdo was arrested on July 27th, 2011 on charges that he planned to attack a restaurant frequented by Fort Hood Soldiers in Killeen. KWBU's Becky Fogel was in the courtroom throughout the trial which concluded on May 24th. This story is part of a 3 part series summing up the proceedings.</p> <p>Past photos of Private First Class Naser Jason Abdo show a clean cut and athletic 21 year old. Sitting in the U.S. District Court in Waco on Tuesday, Abdo-now 22-looks slender and has longer unkempt hair and a beard.</p> <p>Abdo was arrested last summer on charges that he planned to bomb a restaurant in Killeen frequented by Fort Hood soldiers and shoot anysubsequent survivors. Abdo could face up to life in prison if convicted of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. He also faces five additional charges.</p> <p>Abdo was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, when he went AWOL over the July 4th weekend in 2011. He eventually made his way back to the Dallas-area where he grew up. But before leaving Kentucky, he raised suspicions when he tried to purchase a gun and ammunition at a storenear Fort Campbell. One store employee described Abdo as "a little arrogant and a little suspicious," stating that he never removed his sunglasses and seemed unfamiliar with the kind of weapons he was attempting to purchase, including black powder.</p> <p>Many of the other witnesses provided a similar profile of Abdo-someone who was a bit arrogant, standoffish, and did not remove his sunglasses. Surveillance footage from Dallas-area stores showing Abdo purchasing smokeless powder at a gunshop, a pressure cooker and clocks from a Walmart, and a US Army uniform and a "Smith" name patch from a military surplus store, was played for the jury.</p> <p>While the prosecution worked to build a timeline of steps Abdo took to build a bomb, the Defense, lead by Attorney Zachary Boyd, questioned several witnesses on the legality of Abdo's purchases. Questioning one witness, he asked was it illegal for you to sell this item? Was it illegal for Abdo to then purchase this item? The answer to both questions was no.</p> <p>For KWBU, I'm Becky Fogel.</p>