Boston (AP) -- The lawyer for a man accused of conspiring in an alleged terror plot says his client was charged only after he refused three attempts by the FBI to recruit him as an informant against people in the Muslim community.
Tarek Mehanna was first arrested last November and charged with lying to the FBI.
New, more serious charges were added last month, when Mehanna was accused of conspiring to shoot shoppers at U.S. malls, to kill two prominent politicians and to kill American soldiers in Iraq.
Mehanna's lawyer asked Thursday that he be released to home confinement while awaiting trial.
But a federal prosecutor argued that Mehanna is dangerous and should be held without bail.
The judge did not immediately rule.
Some people showed up to court to show their support of Mehanna (above right, WBZ-AM)