Amor Ftouhi
FLINT, MI - Looking around the packed courtroom and repeating "Allahu Akbar" twice, Amor M. Ftouhi, the man accused of stabbing a cop in the neck at Flint Bishop Airport appeared in federal court Wednesday for a detention hearing.
He was wearing a spit-guard face mask.
During the brief hearing to determine whether Ftouhi would be detained or released on bond on Wednesday, June 28, Ftouhi's attorney, Joan M. Morgan indicated to Flint U.S. District Magistrate Judge Stephanie Davis Dawkins that her client had agreed to remain in jail for the duration of the trial.
Morgan said that regardless of whether Ftouhi - a Canadian and Tunisian dual citizen -- was released on bond by the federal court, immigration offices intended to detain him so he would not be able to leave the country.
Dawkins ordered that Ftouhi remain jailed, and scheduled a preliminary exam for Wednesday, July 5, at 1:30 p.m.
"If this matter is taken before the grand jury before then, then this date will be for an indictment rather than preliminary exam," Dawkins noted.
Before the court moved to recess, Morgan made clear to the judge that Ftouhi - who appeared in court Wednesday with an Arabic translator - could understand English well, but needed either a French or Arabic interpreter for "help with legal terms."
Suspected of stabbing Flint Bishop Airport Police Lt. Jeff Neville in the neck with a large, serrated "Amazon Jungle Survival" knife on Wednesday, June 21, Ftouhi, 49, is detained on a federal criminal complaint of violence at an international airport.
Ftouhi yelled "Allahu Akbar" -- "Allah is the greatest" -- before making the attack, according to an affidavit.
After stabbing the officer in the neck, Ftouhi continued to yell, "Allah," several times, the complaint said.
After stabbing Neville, the complaint said Ftouhi further exclaimed something similar to "You have killed people in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and we are all going to die."
Ftouhi entered the first-floor lobby at Bishop at approximately 8:52 a.m. Wednesday, carrying a red duffle and dark satchel bag, traveling up an escalator before attacking Neville.
Investigators have not said what brought Ftouhi to Flint.
Neville was discharged from Hurley Medical Center on Monday, June 26.