FLINT, Mich. _ A federal judge on Wednesday denied bond for the Canadian man accused of stabbing a Flint airport police officer in the neck last week.
As Amor Ftouhi was lead into federal court in Flint Wednesday morning, he looked directly at a row of reporters and said "Allahu Akbar," which means "God is great" in Arabic, He repeated the words once more when he sat down.
That was the same phrase witnesses say Ftouhi yelled moments before pulling out a large knife and stabbing Lt. Jeff Neville in the neck one week ago at the Flint airport.
Ftouhi is charged with committing an act of violence in an international airport, an offense that carries up to 20 years in prison. The Montreal resident was born in Tunisia and maintains residency in both countries.
During the brief appearance Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis, Ftouhi's attorney agreed to no bond. Dawkins Davis set the next court appearance for July 5.
Ftouhi, a married father of three who worked on and off as a truck driver, was wearing a mask Wednesday, just as he had during his initial appearance in federal court last week. He was required to wear the mask because he had apparently spat on law enforcement officials.
At last week's court hearing, Ftouhi indicated he had some understanding of English but that he was mostly fluent in French. Ftouhi shared that he doesn't use drugs or alcohol, has no mental or physical health problems, and that he last worked two weeks ago.
Following last week's hearing, the FBI held a brief news conference on their investigation and shared that Ftouhi had, unsuccessfully, attempted to purchase a gun in the United State. After being unable to, he settled on a large knife marked Amazon jungle survival knife. Officials wouldn't share where he attempted to purchase the gun but noted that Ftouhi, who legally entered the U.S. through New York on June 16, arrived in Michigan on the Sunday prior to the Wednesday attack.
The FBI, which has spoken to more than 20 witnesses thus far in their investigation, believes Ftouhi acted alone.
