Egypt hires lawyer for USF student accused of terrorism

By: Mike Deeson

Tampa, Florida - While it may seem odd the Egyptian government is paying for the defense of Ahmed Mohamed, especially when you see the homes in his neighborhood, high profile attorney John Fitzgibbons says he doesn't see it that way.

"I don't think it is unusual that a foreign government employs a lawyer," Fitzgibbons says. "It happens all the time."

In going after Fitzgibbons, Mohamed will have one of the best. The former assistant U.S. Attorney has been successful in a number of high profile cases. He was successful in keeping teacher Deborah LaFave out of jail after she was convicted of having sex with one of her students.

Fitzgibbons also got a not guilty verdict for Lawrence Storer, who chased and killed a robber who had fled his restaurant.

But Fitzgibbons will have his hands full defending Mohamed.

"There's always two sides to every story, and I already see a different story than what has been presented," Fitzgibbons says.

The government says that when Mohamed and Yusef Megahed were stopped in South Carolina, they had 20 feet of fuse, a box of .22-caliber bullets, a drill, several gallons of gasoline, PVC piping and gun powder. Police also confiscated a laptop with a You Tube video showing how to make a detonator. The FBI says it was made to hurt American troops.

While people we talked to say it is interesting that a foreign government would hire a high profile attorney to defend one of the USF students, they also say it doesn't provide any clues as to whether they are terrorists or not.

"It makes you question whether they are doing that to get away with it, or doing that because they are innocent. You never know," says student Shamik Dwivedi.

But one thing is known: with Fitzgibbons leading the defense, the government's job just got tougher.