A federal judge ordered suspected terrorist Amine El Khalifi, 29, held in custody Wednesday as he awaits trail for allegedly planning to detonate a suicide bomb at the U.S. Capitol Building Friday.

Judge John Anderson said he knew of no condition or combination of conditions to release El Khalifi, who lived in a West End condominium complex while planning the attack. El Khalifi’s lawyers had previously waived the Moroccan national’s preliminary and detention hearings.

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Federal authorities are searching the Alexandria home of the man arrested Friday in Washington for plotting a suicide bomb attack on the U.S. Capitol Building.

Amine El Khalifi, 29, a Moroccan national living illegally in the U.S., was taken into custody heading toward the Capitol from his parked car wearing what he believed was a vest with a functioning bomb and carrying a disabled MAC-10 firearm. The arrest came following an investigation under way for a little more than a year.

El Khalifi never posed a threat to the public, officials said.

Neighbors came home from work Friday to find a significant law enforcement presence at their condo complex. (Derrick Perkins)

A federal law enforcement official, who requested anonymity, confirmed federal authorities were investigating Khalifi’s Wyndam Circle home on the west side of Alexandria Friday afternoon and evening. Neighbors, heading in and out of the gated community, expressed shock at the allegations.

“This is really scary,” said Tracy Coppola, who has lived in the neighborhood for five years. “You never expect it to be in your own backyard.”

Despite the noticeable presence of Alexandria police and television news crews, little seemed out of the ordinary for the residential complex.

“It’s a mixed demographic community, but I never would have thought a terrorist lived so close,” said resident Fionn McKenna. “ [But] these guys live everywhere. It’s tough to pick them out. It caught me off guard.”

The federal investigation into El Khalifi began in January 2011 after he met with several individuals in Arlington and allegedly discussed the war on terrorism as a “war on Muslims,” officials said. An anonymous tipster described the meeting, including that several revolvers, an AK-47 and ammunition were present, to the FBI.

Authorities allege El Khalifi tried to join an “armed extremist group” and in December was introduced to a man named “Yusuf,” an undercover law enforcement official. El Khalifi allegedly proposed a bombing attack targeting high-ranking U.S. military officials, a military office building, a synagogue and a restaurant known to host military officials.

During subsequent meetings with the undercover officer, El Khalifi apparently handled an AK-47 and allegedly showed interest in using the weapon to gun down people “face-to-face,” said Peter Carr, Department of Justice Spokesman, in a statement.

He went so far as to select a restaurant in Washington, survey the scene and buy equipment for the attack, according to authorities. On January 7 one of the two men helping him plan the attack identified himself as a member of al-Qaeda to El Khalifi and the two discussed a larger plot including an attack against a military installation.

Amine El Khalifi resided at The Pointe at Wyndham Circle in Alexandria (Derrick Perkins)

“El Khalifi allegedly believed he was working with al-Qaeda and devised the plot, the targets and the methods on his own,” said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil MacBride in a statement.

Eight days after the conversation, El Khalifi allegedly changed his plans to target the Capitol. He used a cell phone to detonate a test bomb in a West Virginia quarry the same day, officials said. Following the explosion, El Khalifi allegedly asked for a more powerful bomb and selected February 17 as the date of his attack.

For the next month, authorities said El Khalifi visited the Capitol Building several times, surveying the area and planning the details of his “martyrdom operation.” He allegedly asked for a gun, to shoot interfering police officers, and requested remote detonation of the bomb if authorities detained him.

Federal law enforcement officials said El Khalifi parked near the Capitol Building Friday, grabbed the MAC-10, donned the explosive vest — both disarmed by authorities beforehand — and walked alone toward his target. Officials arrested him before he left the parking garage.

Authorities charged El Khalifi with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against property owned and used by the U.S. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. He appeared in court at 4:15 p.m. today.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gordon Kromberg and Michael ben’Ary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case alongside Joseph Kaster and Courtney Sullivan of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Actually, he has two, but it’s the one hidden from sight — covered by a slightly younger roof — and accessibly only by a second floor crawl space that gets historians excited.

In 1784 the owners covered the building at the corner of St. Asaph and Prince streets with a larger enclosure, but left a portion of the original roof where it remains today. It’s like Disneyland for researchers, said city archaeologist Pamela Cressey.

The house at 517 Prince St. maintains its original roof and shingles, above, encapsulated by a more modern roof. (Derrick Perkins)

“You look through this little door that looks like a closet, but you’re looking out at the original roof,” she said. “Wood doesn’t last very long in Virginia and usually when you build up you take off the original roof. This roof was encapsulated within [the home]. It’s like a doll house or something — you can’t believe it’s been left that way.”

It’s one of dozens of historical quirks in the unassuming home nestled in the shadow of the city’s courthouse. To the best of Cressey’s knowledge, the home, now on the market, was built sometime around 1775 when the property was just beyond Alexandria’s city limits.

Reeder, who had tree rings of the original beams tested, believes the home dates to 1772. Either way, several buildings stood on the lot when Patrick Murray built it: the home and a separate structure housing a kitchen and eventually laundry, smokehouse and overseer’s room. And then there’s the outhouse complex, with separate enclosures for slaves and free men, as well as for women and infants.

As further improvements were added, the home slowly enveloped the outbuildings, which eventually led to the house’s eclectic floor plan. Narrow hallways take a visitor to one of two parlors looking out onto Prince Street, the dining room with a view of a the rear lawn and St. Asaph St., an interior bedroom suite and the original kitchen where Reeder keeps the massive wood-fired hearth crackling.

After buying the home for about $850,000 in 2001, Reeder set about tearing up the old kitchen’s floors — laid down in later eras — in favor of the original wood surface, removing modern appliances and demolishing a relatively recently added bathroom among other renovations.

The historic house at 517 Prince St. has a massive wood-fired hearth that owner Joe Reeder keeps crackling. (Derrick Perkins)

Though difficult and expensive at times, the work didn’t bother Reeder, who felt an immediate attraction to the place. Almost from the moment he stepped in the door, Reeder knew he would buy the home.

“It didn’t take very long,” Reeder said, recalling he spent about 20 minutes in the house before making an offer. “I liked the character of it; I liked the antiquity of it … I had a sense of it being exceedingly old.”

But after a decade of work, the home’s become too expensive for Reeder. The tech bubble’s burst combined with the recent recession has forced the former Marine, real estate dabbler and businessman to cut costs and possibly relocate.

If he had it his way, Reeder would spend his final years in the farmhouse. But he doesn’t and the centuries old building is back on the market.

Reeder’s realtor, Paul Anderson of McEnearney Associates, expects an aficionado of American history with a passion for entertaining visitors will fall for the $1.8 million historic home. He wouldn’t be surprised if the new owner already lives in Old Town.

“There are other people living in 18th century houses in Old Town that have kept rooms or entire floors of the house completely true to the period … Somebody like that will be interested,” Anderson said. “It’s got, basically, historic fabric from all the eras. You can see vestiges from the people who have lived in the house through years.”

In the meantime, Reeder hopes a change in fortune will let him keep the home or an area historical organization will take him up on the offer of a discounted sale — with the caveat of allowing him to spend his remaining time there.

“I prefer to give it away and live here,” Reeder said simply, rocking back and forth in front of the hearth.

The teenager was investigating a loud noise at the front door about 8 p.m. when she came face-to-face with the suspect. Police say he shoved her to the ground, but fled after the victim’s cellular phone began ringing.

She was not seriously injured.

Authorities describe the suspect as a black-haired and goateed Hispanic man in his early 20s, about 6-foot-1 or 6-foot-2 and weighing from 190 to 200 pounds.

Police urge anyone with information about the incident to contact the department at 703-746-6711. Witnesses and tipsters can remain anonymous.

The South Africa-based Nando’s, a restaurant chain trading heavily on the Portuguese-style, flame grilled chicken dish catching fire in the Washington region, wants to open their latest location on King Street. Company representatives have filed for a permit for the site of the former Popeyes fast-food restaurant.

Founded by two friends who stumbled across the cuisine south of Johannesburg in the 1980s, the chain has establishments in Europe, the Middle East and Australia. It set up shop in the Washington area in 2008.

Nando’s has six other locations in the region, including eateries in Silver Spring, National Harbor, Bethesda, Gaithersburg and two in the District. The proposed Alexandria restaurant would offer 144 seats and anticipates serving mostly pedestrians, office workers and city residents.

The request goes before the planning commission for approval in March.

The shooting guard rallied the Titans back from a first quarter deficit against the 8-17 Colonials with a quick combination of two field goals and a three-point laser. Though not a career high night for Byrd, the 6-foot-1 senior put away 19 points to match an early season performance against Wakefield.

T.C senior Damoni Moore prepares to shoot from the foul line during the Titans' rout of Thomas Jefferson Monday night. (Ray Fitzgerald)

Huggins, by contrast, had to settle for 13 against a team determined to take him out of the game.

“We have no superstars on this team,” Byrd said. “I have a good night, then T.J. has a good night. We just make sure we knock down the shots.”

Despite coming in heavily favored against a Jefferson team, which went just 3-11 in conference action, T.C. got off to a characteristically slow start. But this time it was part of the game plan, Byrd said.

“They sat in a 2-3 zone,” he said. “We had to be patient and get the shots we wanted.”

Those shots didn’t come easy, senior point guard Daquan Kerman said, admitting the Titans could have come out stronger against the Liberty District team from Fairfax.

“We have to get into the game,” he said. “[We] always just gotta pick it up. I tell everybody to pick it up.”

Reignited by Byrd’s shooting, the Titans went on a second quarter run to take a 31-20 lead heading into the halftime. With their patience on offense paying off, T.C. got aggressive on defense.

They held the Colonials to just four points, compared to T.C.’s 14, in the third quarter. Though the Jefferson squad fought back in the fourth quarter, netting 16 points in the final minutes, the distance between them was too great. The Titans left the court celebrating a triumphant return to the regional tournament, with a 56-40 victory.

Coming in to the game, the Titans were, for the second consecutive year, Patriot District champions — a potential advantage for the squad. Following a rocky regular season, T.C. has gone undefeated in the last seven games, including the postseason tournaments.

T.C. point guard Daquan Kerman drives to the hoop during the Titans' Northern Region tournament victory over Thomas Jefferson of Fairfax Monday night.

It’s well needed boost, coach Julian King said.

“I don’t think [winning the district title] is so much setting a tone, but it’s a confidence boost for us,” he said. “To come out as district champions is a big confidence builder.”

With the first leg of the regional tournament behind them, the Titans set their sights on No. 3 Westfield. The Bulldogs went undefeated in the Concorde District and enjoy a 21-4 record after beating Wakefield Monday. The two semifinalist teams square off Wednesday night, after the Times’ deadline.

If fortune favors the Titans again, they’ll head to Robinson Saturday for the regional championship game against either McLean or Centreville.

“This means a lot, to be over this one hump,” Kerman said, making it clear the team knows exactly what they want out of this season: “We’re trying to win another regional championship.

As the chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, I want to address some of the recent media activity regarding Councilwoman Alicia Hughes and its relationship to the ADC. Like many of you, I have been following the online and printed commentary regarding Councilwoman Hughes and her tenure on city council and past activities outside Alexandria.

Let me state emphatically that neither I nor my organization is responsible for any of the “secret” comments or accounts you are seeing. We did not set up and are not responsible for the fake Twitter account, the Facebook page, nor the most recent “Impeach Alicia Hughes” website. We have not coordinated, nor have we attempted to coordinate with any outside groups or individuals that may be responsible for these activities.

Moreover, we are not encouraging anyone, including any of our members, to hide behind the veiled curtain of the Internet to make comments regarding Councilwoman Hughes’ past or tenure on City Council. Simply put, the ADC is not behind in any of this recent, “secret” commentary.

There has been some discussion that the ADC is behind the current activity. That implication is erroneous at best. While some ADC members have publicly commented on Councilwoman Hughes’ activities, they do so as individuals and do not speak for me or the ADC as an organization. They are also doing so as citizens concerned about their community.

But, what you will notice is that these members are not afraid to publicly identify themselves. That is the difference in this situation. While we believe Alexandria voters are entitled to knowledge of Councilwoman Hughes’ past activities and record as a council member, we also believe Councilwoman Hughes is to be afforded the opportunity to know who is raising these questions and to address those individuals or groups publicly. From our perspective, the court of public opinion should be as fair and level as possible.

As the ADC has demonstrated in its decision to require our Democratic council candidates to have their candidate petitions verified by the Alexandria Registrar of Voters, the organization believes in openness and transparency, including the right of someone, including Councilwoman Hughes, to have full knowledge of who is raising questions about her activities.

I personally believe that secret attempts to sully a person’s name are truly out of bounds. Party aside, Councilwoman Hughes has the right to defend herself and her record. Thus, I call for the individual or group that is responsible for these “secret” and veiled comments toward Councilwoman Hughes to publicly identify themselves and engage in open, honest debate.

Secret and veiled comments regarding Councilwoman Hughes are not “civil” in any sense of the word and shadow commentary only creates mistrust within our community. As an elected official, Councilwoman Hughes’ past activities and City Council record on are fair game for public inquiry. Those inquiries, however, should not come from the shadows.

- Dak Hardwick,

Chair, Alexandria Democratic Committee

The roughly two-hour long spectacle featured an appearance by the general, President Abraham Lincoln, local Boy and Girl Scout troops, re-enactors and city officials, among others. Former state Sen. Patsy Ticer, who retired from public service in 2011, served as the parade’s grand marshal.

For a photo gallery, click here.

The grand review capped off a weekend of events dedicated to the first president, including a 10k race, Revolutionary War reenactment and Washington’s “Birthnight Ball and Banquet” at Gadsby’s Tavern Saturday evening.

A fire destroyed the Immanuel Chapel, nestled between other historic buildings on VTS’s Seminary Road campus, in the fall of 2010. Though firefighters eventually succeeded in squelching the blaze, flames consumed the roof and devastated the chapel’s interior.

VTS officials vowed to rebuild as smoke still rose from the charred remnants. They unveiled a $13 million proposal for a new chapel on February 16 along with a capital fundraising campaign, simultaneously announcing a “quiet” effort already had raised about $10.9 million.

The new redbrick building would sit slightly to the south and west of its fire-damaged predecessor, seat a little more than 400 people during large events, includes a nursery for student’s children and create an impressive view from nearby Seminary Road.

A fire destroyed Immanuel Chapel in the Fall of 2010. (File photo)

“It’s a very imaginative design that will serve the seminary well for the next several hundred years,” said Rev. Ian Markham, the school’s dean.

Officials also proposed turning the remnants of the older chapel into a prayer garden. Once the walls are stabilized, the open-air interior space will host plaques, interred ashes and be home to outdoor ceremonies.

But the plans must meet the board of architectural review’s muster. Early talk of demolishing the charred structure met with BAR opposition and the idea of a prayer garden grew out of efforts to reach a compromise.

The largest hurdle for the seminary is securing the remaining walls. They hope to receive approval to stabilize and retain some of the masonry at a cost of about $877,000, Markham said. To do the same for the entire structure would run the seminary upwards of $2 million – resources he believes would be better spent elsewhere.

Charged with preserving Alexandria’s history, the BAR does not take financial implications into account in its decisions.

Al Cox, Alexandria’s preservationist, believes the BAR and seminary can reach an appropriate compromise. Officials with both groups have been meeting for months to reach a design plan congruent with both of their charges.

“The board has been bending over backward to respect the needs and the goals of the seminary and seminary is trying to respect the board’s charge and authority,” Cox said. “I do think [the project] is a good example of a different way to experience preservation in Alexandria. You don’t have to restore it and have it try and be what it was before if what it was before doesn’t serve you today. Preservation is not supposed to be putting things under a bell jar. We’re not a museum; we’re a living city.”

Construction will begin as soon as the money is raised, pending BAR approval, Markham said.

Led by seniors Daquan Kerman and T.J. Huggins, the Titans went up early and never looked back. They outscored the Stallions through all four quarters of action to secure the 2011-12 Patriot District title.

Kerman netted 13 while Huggins enjoyed an 11-point performance in the 54-39 victory. The two teams split their regular season matchups.

The victory gives T.C. the top seed heading into the Northern Region Tournament. They face an 8-16 Thomas Jefferson squad, of Fairfax, tonight at T.C. to start off the second tier of high school basketball’s postseason.

The roughly hour long skirmish drew a thick crowd, despite the threat of snow and freezing rain. Though the British regulars pressed the colonial’s right flank and forced the 1st Virginia Regiment to temporarily withdraw, the Americans held the highground and eventually won the day.

The annual showdown comes smack dap in the middle of a weekend full of events dedicated to George Washington. Revelers gathered at Gadsby’s Tavern Saturday evening for the “Birthnight Banquet and Ball” while more active celebrants took part in the George Washington Classic 10K Race through the Eisenhower Valley earlier in the day.

Tomorrow’s climactic parade begins at 1 p.m. and will feature former mayor and state Sen. Patsy Ticer as the grand marshal. For more information, click here.