Man accused of blowing up North DeKalb Mall ATM indicted in federal court
A booking photo of Abdurrahim Jalal. Photo provided by the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office.
Decatur, GA — Abdurrahim Jalal, 53, accused of blowing up an ATM at North DeKalb Mall back in March, was indicted in federal court on Sept. 12, according to court records and a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office.
The indictment in federal court follows an indictment in DeKalb County on similar charges connected to the destruction of the ATM.
The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office says Jalal is now in federal custody, and his trial in DeKalb awaits the outcome of his trial in federal court.
Jalal’s home has attracted the interest of investigators, who allegedly found eight more pipe bombs in his Decatur home when agents arrested him on April 29, according to a federal complaint. Police in Duluth are also investigating a body found on another property connected to Jalal.
On Tuesday, June 20, numerous police vehicles from Duluth were spotted outside his home, which is near Westchester Elementary School.
A few weeks earlier, on June 2, an attorney contacted Duluth Police and said he was representing a young man who found human remains “on his father’s property” while he was cleaning it.
The property, located in the 4300 block of Abbotts Bridge Road, is used for commercial purposes, according to property tax records and Google Maps. The attorney didn’t identify his client. But the call and the subsequent discovery of the body at the property prompted Duluth Police to search Jalal’s home.
It is not known what the Duluth Police found during that search.
The federal complaint alleges the suspect was scouting out more ATM locations while he was under surveillance.
Jalal worked as a landscaper and lived at 748 Scott Boulevard near Westchester Elementary School.
Agents involved in the case include the FBI, DeKalb County Police, DeKalb County Fire Rescue, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The federal complaint alleges Jalal blew up the ATM around 3:11 a.m. on March 29 at the Bank of America Branch located at the mall. The ATM was located in the bank’s drive-through. For more information pertaining to the federal complaint, click here.
The counts in the federal indictment include:
— Bank theft
— Use of fire or explosive to commit a felony
— Malicious use of fire or an explosive
— Possession of a destructive device
Here’s the full announcement about Jalal’s indictment provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office:
ATLANTA – Abdurrahim Jalal has been indicted for blowing up a bank automated teller machine and for possession of illegal explosive devices.
“The unlawful use and possession of explosives creates a grave danger to our citizens and first responders who must risk their lives to respond to these violent crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “This indictment is the culmination of investigative work conducted by a team of federal and local law enforcement agencies who recovered bombing materials from Jalal’s home and may have prevented additional explosions.”
“The alleged actions of this individual could have led to innocent people being seriously hurt or killed,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This investigation is proof of the strength and tenacity of the FBI and its law enforcement partners in eliminating acts of violence which threaten the communities we serve.”
“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources in conjunction with crucial Federal and local law enforcement partners to the pursuit of eradicating and forestalling criminal activity in communities we serve,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones.
“This indictment comes as a result of the strong partnerships that exist between local, state, and federal agencies. Working together we can continue to keep our streets safe,” said DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha V. Ramos.
According to U.S. Attorney Buchanan, the charges and other information presented in court: At approximately 3:11 a.m. on March 29, 2023, Jalal blew up an ATM at the Bank of America branch located at the North DeKalb Mall in Decatur, Georgia. Jalal took approximately $88,000 from the vault of the machine after the explosion. Investigators identified Jalal and obtained a warrant to search his home. They found additional destructive devices during that search.
Abdurrahim Jalal, 53, of DeKalb County, Georgia, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 12, 2023, and had his initial appearance on September 27, 2023. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment contains only charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DeKalb County Police Department, and the DeKalb County Fire Rescue.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected].
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