Islamic State follower seeks lower bond in officer assault

PHOENIX (AP) — An 18-year-old Islamic State follower who was shot earlier this year after throwing rocks at and wielding a knife toward a police officer in metro Phoenix is asking a judge to reduce his $500,000 bond or release him from jail with electronic monitoring.

A lawyer representing Ismail Hamed said in a court filing Thursday that his client’s bond was more than is necessary to assure his presence at future court hearings and that he isn’t a risk of fleeing from authorities.

Hamed has been jailed since his Jan. 8 arrest outside a sheriff’s substation in Fountain Hills, 38 miles (61 kilometers) northeast of downtown Phoenix

“During his incarceration he has endured many difficulties being away from his family, including isolation, stress/anxiety, and harassment from others in the jail,” said Mark Mendoza, Hamed’s attorney.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting Hamed, said the agency is aware of Hamed’s request and reviewing its options.

Before the attack, Hamed told a 911 operator that he pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, was armed with rocks and a knife, and wanted to meet face-to-face with an officer. He told the operator that he wanted to protest suffering in the Middle East.

Body-camera video of the encounter shows that when a sheriff’s sergeant asked for Hamed’s identification, Hamed started throwing rocks at him, leading the officer to pull out his handgun and point it at Hamed, who then drew a knife and walked toward the sergeant.

The officer shot Hamed, who survived his injuries, after Hamed ignored a warning to drop the knife.

Hamed, who at the time was a high school student on winter break, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated assault and terrorism charges.

The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, which investigated the case, has said Hamed didn’t have any contacts with recruiters for terrorist groups and instead was self-racialized through his research of the Islamic State and radical groups.