Translations delay Masonic center case

A man suspected of plotting to attack a Masonic center in Milwaukee remains behind bars as his attorney pores over the government's evidence against him, including several hundred hours of conversations between him and informants who were working with the FBI.

In federal court Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Kanter said he has turned over 116 CDs of evidence to the defense and will be preparing an order to protect classified information that is included in the evidence against Samy Mohamed Hamzeh.

Defense attorney Craig Albee asked for eight weeks to further review the evidence and prepare pretrial motions, including a bail motion. Albee has held off on making an argument for why Hamzeh should be let out on bail until he reviews the months of recordings that were translated from Arabic to English.

Hamzeh was in court Friday but was not asked any questions and did not speak. His next hearing was set for Oct. 28 by Magistrate Judge William Duffin.

Hamzeh, 24, was charged in January with five counts of illegally possessing two machine guns and a silencer, which he bought from undercover FBI agents. He is not facing terrorism-related counts, which experts said is not unusual.

Hamzeh plotted to launch the attack on a Masonic center in downtown Milwaukee, the criminal complaint says. In preparation, Hamzeh toured the Masonic center, practiced shooting at a range and spoke extensively about how the attack would unfold.

He said the attack was to defend Islam by going after Masons, "who are the ones who need to be killed," and he hoped to kill at least 30 people.

Friends of Hamzeh said he was a pot-smoking screw-up, not a radical. His supporters took to social media to proclaim his innocence earlier this year, and they and his mother have said he was set up by the FBI.