Sami Omar Al-Hussayen is accused of making false statements on student visa applications and helping set up Web sites to gather money for terrorism against Americans. He was arrested Feb. 26.
At a detention hearing, assistant U.S. attorney Kim Lindquist said telephone taps and e-mails showed the University of Idaho graduate student was in close contact with Saudi sheiks Salman Al-Ouda and Safar Al-hawali.
"The doctoral program that is the basis for him staying here is illusory at best, if nonexistent," Lindquist said. "He has different philosophies. His paradigm is different."
Al-Hussayen has pleaded innocent to an 11-count federal indictment. He is set for trial April 15. In arguing for Al-Hussayen's release, defense attorney David Nevin said his client would return to Moscow, Idaho, to work toward his degree in computer science.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that a computer that Al-Hussayen used had thousands of photographs, including the World Trade Center towers before and after the 2001 terrorism attacks.
Lindquist said Al-Hussayen had access to sensitive information through the university computer network.
U.S. Magistrate Mikel Williams said that the Immigration and Naturalization Service will be responsible for holding Al-Hussayen until his trial.
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