Podiatrist's wife arrested in plot

Federal agents say Kristi Goldstein, 28, wife of the Seminole doctor, approved of plans to bomb Islamic centers.

Kristi Goldstein is escorted by ATF agents to the courthouse for Thursday's hearing.

By LEANORA MINAI, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 25, 2002

TAMPA -- Robert and Kristi Goldstein were inseparable, federal agents say.

They built bombs together. They blew up tree stumps and detonated explosives in their back yard, agents say. They filmed themselves firing automatic guns and sent videos to friends.

Then, one night in August, they had a fight.

Mrs. Goldstein called for help. Deputies arrived at the couple's Seminole home and discovered 37 bombs and 25,000 rounds of ammunition.

On Thursday, two months after her husband's arrest on charges of plotting to blow up dozens of Islamic centers and mosques, Mrs. Goldstein, 28, was arrested by federal agents who believe she had a role in the plan.

"Not only had knowledge of, but approved of a plan," Colleen Murphy, assistant U.S. attorney, told a judge in federal court Thursday.

The case unfolded Thursday with revelations of Goldstein's alleged motive. Since the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Goldstein, who is Jewish, "wanted to do something for his people," agents say. He plotted an attack at an Islamic center in St. Petersburg before the anniversary of Sept. 11.

Prosecutors on Thursday also unsealed court files showing that Temple Terrace dentist Michael W. Hardee, 49, conspired with Goldstein and pleaded guilty last week.

Hardee's role was to drive Goldstein to an Islamic education center on 66th Street N, drop him off and circle the block, allowing enough time to plant the bombs. Hardee then would pick up Goldstein and drive away.

Now, Hardee is helping federal authorities build their case against Goldstein.

"I'm dumbfounded," Temple Terrace neighbor Nell Richards said of Hardee's arrest. "You never hear anything out of him."

No other arrests are expected.

Goldstein, Hardee and another suspect, Samuel "Val" Shannahan, are in the Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County. Shannahan, 42, was arrested in Dunedin last month.

Goldstein's wife was expected to be released on $100,000 bail either Thursday night or today. Her family refused to comment.

"With these four people being charged, the plot has been foiled," said Steve Cole, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Goldstein, a Seminole podiatrist, is charged with illegally possessing bombs and plotting to damage or destroy 50 Islamic centers and mosques in the Tampa Bay area and elsewhere in Florida. His wife is charged with illegally possessing destructive devices.

Paperwork seized from their townhome made reference to accomplices by the name of "Val" or "Mike." Authorities say those men are Shannahan and Hardee.

The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace and Muslim leaders of the Tampa Bay Coalition of Islamic Mosques and Education Centers commended investigators Thursday for the arrests.

Still, some Muslims at the targeted mosque in St. Petersburg were cautious.

"It's scary," said Abdul Majid, 41, who was praying at the 66th Street Islamic center with his 3-year-old son.

The plotting began after the Sept. 11 attacks, authorities say.

Goldstein wanted to retaliate against Arabs and Muslims for the terrorist attacks and the growing number of suicide bombings in Israel, court documents say.

"He became increasingly agitated with Arabs and Muslims and more vocal about retaliating against Arabs and Muslims who were living in the United States," prosecutors wrote in court documents.

Myles Malman, Goldstein's attorney, has said the plan is fantasy.

Goldstein started sharing his thoughts with his friend of seven years, Hardee, the Temple Terrace dentist.

Goldstein sent Hardee two e-mails in June. The first had a floor plan of an Islamic center for Hardee to review. Goldstein told Hardee hen attached the plan for "printing and memorization."

"Goldstein expresses the hope that Hardee hasn't lost his nerve and Goldstein can count on him as just a driver," FBI Agent Timothy M. Gorman said in an affidavit explaining the e-mails.

In the other e-mail to Hardee, Goldstein curses the FBI, saying the agency cannot do anything for someone "exercising the mind."

After Goldstein's arrest, federal agents interviewed Hardee. He told them that he got along with Goldstein's wife because "Kristi was like one of the guys."

She carried a SIG-Sauer 230 semiautomatic pistol and could shoot better than he could, said Hardee, who also told agents that she made detonators and built small bombs.

Hardee spent time with the Goldsteins behind their townhome. They would dig a hole at the water's edge, put a bomb in it, get a safe distance back and set it off.

"It went boom and moved the dirt around," Hardee said.

Authorities believe Goldstein's wife was "well aware" of the alleged plot to blow up the Islamic center.

"Kristi was almost always around, knew about everything and never questioned anything," says the criminal complaint against her.

Although she told agents she knew nothing about any explosives or bombs, the Goldsteins' house was stocked with them, authorities said.

On the bed was a gas can with a detonator, agents said. Bombs and C-4 were in closets or corners of rooms. And in a kitchen cabinet, agents found mixing bowls with gunpowder residue.

-- Staff writers Brady Dennis and Monique Fields and researcher Kitty Bennett contributed to this report.

Key events

AUG. 22: Seminole podiatrist Robert Goldstein arrested after a domestic argument with his wife. Sheriff's deputies find "an arsenal" of weapons and explosives in his house, along with a schematic drawing of an assault on an unnamed "Islamic Education Center." The drawing refers to accomplices "Val" and "Mike."

SEPT. 25: Federal agents arrest Dunedin resident Samuel "Val" Shannahan on charges that he had illegally given two machine guns and other firearm accessories to Goldstein.

OCT. 24: Goldstein's wife, Kristi, is arrested on a charge of illegally possessing destructive devices. Federal prosecutors also unseal court documents showing that Temple Terrace dentist Michael Hardee was arrested and pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, among other charges. Hardee is helping prosecutors build their case against Goldstein.

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