A federal agent has testified that an Iraqi refugee facing charges he “tried” to help ISIS (Islamic State, ISIL, IS, Daesh) wanted to set off explosives and kill people at two Houston, Texas malls and was in the process of educating himself on how to make electronic transmitters that could be utilized for detonation purposes.

The agent, Homeland Security Special Agent Herman Wittliff, also told U.S. District Court Judge Lynn Hughes that they found a collection of used cellphones at the terror suspect’s apartment, which investigators believe were accumulated to be improvised detonation remote controls.

“He wanted to build them for ISIL,” said Wittliff in court, his parlance referring to the terror group’s other nom de guerre.

“For what purpose?” asked prosecutor Ralph Imperato.

“So he could kill people,” Wittliff answered.

Hughes denied the suspect bond, citing a “serious risk” that the refugee would flee if taken out of federal custody.

This from the Associated Press:

Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, who came to Houston from Iraq in 2009, was indicted last week on three charges, including attempting to provide support to a designated terrorist organization. He pleaded not guilty to all three charges during a court appearance on Wednesday.

Prosecutors allege Al Hardan was coordinating efforts with another Iraqi refugee living in California, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab. The two men communicated through Facebook messenger from April 2013 to October 2014 and talked about getting weapons training and sneaking into Syria to fight alongside the Islamic militants, Wittliff said.

The agent also testified that Al Hardan received training on how to use an AK-47 assault rifle in November 2014 on a farm outside Houston from a confidential informant who was working with federal authorities.

During the hearing, Wittliff read aloud excerpts from a conversation that authorities had recorded between Al Hardan and his wife in October 2014. Prosecutors did not say how the recording was obtained.

“Once I get the passport, I will leave America. I will leave. I will make a widow of you,” Al Hardan said to his wife, according to the excerpt read in court. “I will go to Syria. I am not wacko. I am not wacko. I am speaking the truth. I want to blow myself up. I want to blow myself up … I am against America.”

Hardan’s older brother, Saeed Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, said his brother has denied any wrongdoing or affiliation with ISIS.

Authorities say they found a photograph of the suspect taking an oath to ISIS, an ISIS flag and a “to-do” list where he talked about committing jihad and becoming a martyr, all in his bedroom.

The arrest has already become a political football in the state as well as on a national level. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has called a stop to allowing Syrian refugees resettle in his state while presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has voiced his desire to review all refugees coming into the country. Both Abbott, Cruz and many others are using Hardan’s case in attacks on President Barack Obama’s current refugee policies.