Jury selection begins Tuesday for a Valley man accused of terrorism and plotting to work terror groups.
Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem was arrested in June of 2015 and has been in solitary confinement ever since.
In 2015, federal investigators said Abdul Kareem helped Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, both of Phoenix, plan an attack at an anti-Mohammed event in Texas.
Agents said Kareem was supposed to go with them but on the day of the shooting Simpson and Soofi drove without Kareem to Garland, Texas. The two were killed in a shootout with police last May. A security guard was injured in the gunfight.
Investigators said Kareem took Simpson and Soofi target shooting to get ready for the attack. A federal indictment states that some of the guns used during target shooting were used in the attack.
On Tuesday, the jurors will be asked 51 questions. Many of the questions are standard questions jurors are asked, but other questions will address the person’s knowledge of Islam and the Arabic Language. They will also ask jurors if they know anyone who attends a mosque.
Jurors will asked be asked whether they or anyone in their family owns a firearm. Jurors must also reveal what social media sites they are on and identify who follows them on Twitter.
One interesting question that will be asked is whether jurors have any bumper stickers on their car. If so, what are they?
The trial is scheduled to last up to five weeks.
