Teen’s Alleged Plan to Attack Churches Thwarted
NEW YORK — An 18-year-old in Idaho was apprehended just in time before carrying out a violent rampage on local churches, following his allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.
Alexander Mercurio, the suspect, was taken into custody on Saturday, a mere day before his planned assault on churches using an arsenal of weapons including guns, explosives, knives, machetes, and pipes. The Justice Department revealed that he intended to move from one church to another, continuing his attack until he met his demise. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars.
Mercurio stands accused of attempting to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization.
“The defendant pledged loyalty to ISIS and plotted an assault on churches in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho,” stated US Attorney General Merrick Garland, using the common acronym for the Islamic State group.
The young Idaho resident aimed to carry out an act of martyrdom in his hometown before the conclusion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
In messages exchanged earlier this year, Mercurio detailed his plan to maximize casualties at the nearest church, followed by similar attacks on neighboring churches, setting them ablaze as he progressed, until his own demise.
Part of his strategy reportedly involved subduing and restraining his father to access firearms from a secured closet in their residence.
The arrest was made after Mercurio confided in an undisclosed FBI source about his intentions, as per the criminal complaint filed against him.
Mercurio had been on the FBI’s radar under an online pseudonym since July 2022, with his radical beliefs evolving through interactions in online group chats, as per court documents.
Initially displaying an interest in Islamic fundamentalism and IS, a designated terror organization by the US, Mercurio also expressed frustration over his parents’ inability to comprehend his religious convictions.
However, his messages eventually transitioned to pledging financial support to IS and orchestrating an attack in the US if he couldn’t join the group in Africa or the Middle East, according to investigators.
A search warrant executed at Mercurio’s residence on Saturday yielded a pipe, butane, hand sanitizer, a machete, and firearms retrieved from his father’s closet.
Following a recent attack at a Moscow concert hall, claimed by IS and resulting in over 100 casualties, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin cautioning Americans about potential threats to public gatherings in the US. — BBC
