Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, who confessed to a March 3 attack at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, appeared again in court-albeit briefly-Thursday afternoon.
The recent UNC graduate, who drove a Jeep Grand Cherokee through a popular gathering place at his alma mater, is being charged with nine counts of attempted first-degree murder. Before his hearing Thursday, Taheri-azar sent letters to media outlets in which he cited the Koran to justify his actions.
His statements were subsequently condemned by local Muslim leaders.
Before his Thursday hearing, Taheri-azar was rushed by deputies through the backdoor of an Orange County courtroom, dodging the hordes of media who awaited the defendant.
At the hearing, which lasted fewer than five minutes, the judge set the date for Taheri-azar's probable cause hearing for March 24. At the hearing, a district court judge will determine if the evidence is sufficient to continue the case.
Since Taheri-azar did not request a reduction to his jail bond-which is set at $5.5. million-the court was then adjourned.
After meeting briefly with publicly appointed Orange County Defense Attorney James Williams, Taheri-azar was ushered back to a sheriff's car and returned to Central Prison in Raleigh.
Throughout the previous week, several news outlets-including the Raleigh News & Observer, the Durham Herald-Sun and WTVD-TV-received letters from Taheri-azar that expounded upon his motives for the attack.
"Allah gives permission in the Koran for those who follow Allah to attack those who have waged war against them, with the expectation of eternal paradise in case of martyrdom," Taheri-azar wrote in a two-page letter, addressed to ABC 11 News anchor Amber Rupinta, that was posted on the television station's website.
"I did not act out of hatred for Americans, but out of love for Allah instead," Taheri-azar wrote.
In his letter to the Durham Herald-Sun, Taheri-azar said he hoped an attack within the United States would be a wake-up call to government leaders.
"I therefore decided to attack within the U.S. borders, hoping that the U.S. government would understand that my fellow followers of Allah will do everything necessary to defeat our enemies, even giving up a college degree from UNC Chapel Hill, as I did myself," Taheri-azar wrote.
Muslim leaders at UNC and in the broader community have publicly denounced Taheri-azar's stated motives. "It is unfortunate that some misuse religion and perpetrate violence in the name of religion as evidenced by Taheri-azar's statements and actions, which appear to be the work of a disturbed individual," said Imran Aukhil of the Islamic Association of Raleigh.
Aukhil spoke at a March 15 press conference organized in response to Taheri-azar's letters to the media.
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