A federal judge who was the target of an alleged murder-for-hire plot today recused himself from presiding over that case and the suspect's underlying criminal case.

U.S. District Court Judge Jack Zouhary stepped down from hearing the case of Yahya Farooq Mohammad, who was indicted last week for attempted first-degree murder of a federal officer, solicitation to commit a crime of violence, and use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire.

The indictment alleges that Mr. Mohammad, 37, of the United Arab Emirates attempted to hire a hitman for $15,000 to kill Judge Zouhary.

A judge from outside the Northern District of Ohio was appointed to the case at the request of Chief Judge Solomon Oliver.

Judge Zouhary also recused himself from the ongoing case involving Mr. Mohammad and his brother, Ibrahim Zubair Mohammad, 36, of Euless, Texas; and brothers, Sultane Roome Salim, 41, of Columbus and Asif Ahmed Salim, 35, who most recently lived in the United Arab Emirates. The four are charged with providing financial support to the terrorist network, al-Qaeda in 2009.

Chief Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. of the Southern District of Ohio was appointed to preside over both cases in Toledo. Judge Sargus was appointed to federal court bench in Columbus in 1996 by then-President Bill Clinton.

First Published July 12, 2016, 5:12 p.m.