A federal judge on Thursday denied bond for a 21-year-old Forsyth County man who authorities say was plotting an attack on the White House and other national monuments.

U.S. Federal Magistrate Alan Baverman turned aside defense arguments that the FBI may have encouraged Hasher Jallal Taheb’s plans to launch a violent attack.

The evidence demonstrates that Taheb “is not a mere mope or a stooge,” Baverman said.

“He basically wanted to create havoc and mayhem and harm as many people as possible.”

Taheb, of Cumming, was taken into custody in Gwinnett County last week while allegedly trying to exchange his vehicle for explosives.

The case was brought by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Agents say Taheb was acting alone and had no known ties to any terrorist group.

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