Wahid Guilty: Lied to FBI in Garland Terror Probe

PHOENIX, AZ – Abdul Khabir Wahid, 53, of Phoenix, has been found guilty of obstructing a federal terrorism investigation into the 2015 attack in Garland, Texas. U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi delivered the verdict after a bench trial held between February 26 and March 1, 2019. Wahid was convicted of making false statements to the FBI, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2), and tampering with a witness, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(b)(3).

The case stems from the May 3, 2015, shooting at the Muhammad Art Exhibit and Contest in Garland, Texas. Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, drove from Arizona to launch the attack, opening fire with semiautomatic rifles on security personnel and law enforcement. A security guard was injured in the exchange before Simpson and Soofi were killed by police. While Wahid wasn’t at the scene, his actions directly hindered the subsequent investigation.

Just days before the Texas attack, on May 1, 2015, Simpson directed Wahid to deliver a key and an envelope to another individual. During an FBI interview on May 6, 2015, Wahid deliberately concealed this crucial information, despite having followed Simpson’s instructions. Furthermore, between May 4 and July 8, 2015, Wahid actively attempted to intimidate Soofi’s brother, urging him to avoid contact with the FBI and to fabricate a false narrative about Simpson and Soofi’s possession of firearms and exposure to ISIS propaganda within their apartment.

Judge Tuchi condemned Wahid’s deception, stating it forced investigators to waste valuable time and resources chasing dead ends. The judge specifically noted the delay “caused agents to apply scarce investigative resources to hunt for ‘needles in haystacks,’” and that Wahid’s false statement misdirected investigative assets, caused delays, and “in turn resulted in the agent’s failure to recover some evidence which was disposed of in the interim.” The obstruction directly impacted the integrity of the investigation.

“The guilty verdict for purposefully obstructing a terrorism investigation into an attack on our nation’s homeland in the name of ISIS, sends a strong message to those who support terrorists,” declared U.S. Attorney Bailey. “Our office has an unwavering commitment to combatting terrorism and prosecuting all perpetrators who impede terrorism investigations and tamper with witnesses.” Bailey also commended the FBI and the Garland law enforcement officials for their efforts, acknowledging their quick response prevented an even greater catastrophe.

Wahid is scheduled to be sentenced on August 26, 2019, before Judge Tuchi. He faces a statutory maximum sentence of 28 years in prison. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with the prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Brook and Joseph Koehler of the District of Arizona. This conviction underscores the serious consequences of interfering with investigations into acts of terror.