Man accused of blowing up ATM makes first court appearance

The man arrested Saturday for allegedly blowing up an ATM last month made his first appearance before a DeKalb County Magistrate Court judge Monday afternoon.

Abdurrahim Jalal, 52, faces charges of arson, felony theft by taking and possession of explosives with intent to kill/injure or destroy a building.  Jalal was also booked on a DUI warrant stemming from an accident on S. Candler Street in Decatur in Oct. 2021.  

According to the prosecution, video captured Jalal pry open the Bank of America ATM at 2052 Lawrenceville Highway March 29.  They said Jalal used a tank to feed a gas accelerant into the machine before detonating a pipe bomb to open the ATM and collecting the cash inside.  

DeKalb Police, along with the ATF and the FBI, executed a search warrant at Jalal's home on Scott Boulevard in Decatur Saturday morning and recovered what they described as "improvised explosives."

DeKalb Police, along with the ATF and the FBI, executed a search warrant at Jalal's home on Scott Boulevard in Decatur Saturday morning and recovered what they described as "improvised explosives."

"He immediately began circling other banks and casing them to do the same thing," said Assistant DeKalb County District Attorney Lance Cross.

Cross said Jalal had a stolen license plate on his truck, bought new tires shortly after the crime and traveled out of state to a casino where he used some of the bank money to buy chips.  

He asked Judge Teri Thompson not to grant bond for Jalal.

"Most importantly, he was surveilled going to stores and buying new bomb-making material, new tubes and a new prybar to do this all over again," said Cross.  "The fact that he was literally about to do this again, we believe he's a danger to the community."

video captured Jalal pry open the Bank of America ATM at 2052 Lawrenceville Highway March 29.

video captured Jalal pry open the Bank of America ATM at 2052 Lawrenceville Highway March 29.

DeKalb Police, along with the ATF and the FBI, executed a search warrant at Jalal's home on Scott Boulevard in Decatur Saturday morning and recovered what they described as "improvised explosives."  

Arnice Cabrera Alvarez, Jalal's public defender, however said her client has lived in the area since 1990, has three children and is an Army veteran.  

Abdurrahim Jalal, 52, faces charges of arson, felony theft by taking and possession of explosives with intent to kill/injure or destroy a building.

Abdurrahim Jalal, 52, faces charges of arson, felony theft by taking and possession of explosives with intent to kill/injure or destroy a building.

"We are requesting a reasonable bond in his case.  There is no reason to think that he is a risk to reoffend based on his criminal history," Alvarez explained.

Judge Thompson granted Jalal a bond of $50,000, though authorities said if released, he will likely end up in federal custody.