A 20-year-old Saudi student in Texas was arrested late Wednesday night, charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. The FBI says his potential targets included President George W. Bush's home in Dallas and industrial sites such as hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants.

According to federal prosecutors, Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari had been investigating how to build an IED using chemical ingredients.  Fortworth's KDAF-TV details the allegations which draw on the suspect's diary and e-mails he sent to himself:

One of the documents he sent himself, with the subject line listed as “Targets,” allegedly contained the names and home addresses of three American citizens who had previously served in the U.S. military and had been stationed for a time at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.

In another e-mail titled “NICE TARGETS 01,” Aldawsari allegedly sent himself the names of 12 reservoir dams in Colorado and California.  In another e-mail to himself, titled “NICE TARGETS,” he listed two categories of targets: hydroelectric dams and nuclear power plants.  On Feb. 6, 2011, the affidavit alleges, Aldawsari sent himself an e-mail titled “Tyrant’s House,” in which he listed the Dallas address for former President George W. Bush.  The affidavit also alleges that Aldawsari conducted research that could indicate his consideration of the use of infant dolls to conceal explosives and possible targeting of a nightclub with an explosive concealed in a backpack.

The affidavit also alleges that Aldawsari created a blog in which he posted extremist messages.  In one posting, he expressed dissatisfaction with current conditions of Muslims and vowed jihad and martyrdom. “You who created mankind….grant me martyrdom for Your sake and make jihad easy for me only in Your path,” he wrote.

CNN's Jeane Meserve has more details:

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John Hudson