18-year-old Alexander Scott Mercurio was arrested and charged with providing support to ISIS after planning to attack churches in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He detailed his plot to an FBI informant, expressing his commitment to slaying as many people as possible before dying through suicide or an encounter with law enforcement. Mercurio had been raising money for ISIS and had pledged loyalty to the group. Law enforcement thwarted his plan and found items he intended to use in the attack, along with an Islamic State flag in his bedroom. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.
An 18-year-old man, Alexander Mercurio, was arrested in Idaho for planning attacks on churches in support of ISIS. The FBI thwarted his plans, which involved using knives, firearms, and fire, and included incapacitating his own father to steal his guns for maximum casualties. Mercurio had pledged allegiance to ISIS and intended to die while killing others on their behalf. Law enforcement found butane canisters, lighters, handcuffs, a knife, a pipe, a machete, and an ISIS flag in his possession.
An 18-year-old in Idaho was arrested by the FBI for planning an ISIS-inspired attack on churches using knives, firearms, and fire. Alexander Scott Mercurio, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, had been spreading ISIS propaganda online and soliciting their involvement in his plans. He had purchased items consistent with his attack plans and was found with firearms, an ISIS flag, and pro-terrorist files. If found guilty, he faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Tajikistan's state security service has detained nine people over suspected contact with the perpetrators of the recent attack on a Moscow concert hall, where 144 people were killed. The attackers, identified as Tajik nationals, were claimed to be affiliated with the Islamic State group, although Russian officials have also accused Ukraine and the West of involvement. The death toll from the attack continues to rise, with Russian officials claiming that the perpetrators received support from Ukraine, a claim vehemently denied by Ukrainian officials.
Russian investigators have received over 100 reports of missing persons following the deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall, with the death toll potentially higher than the confirmed 143. Thousands had gathered to watch a rock group when gunmen stormed the venue, causing a fire and collapse of the roof. ISIS claimed responsibility, but Russian President Putin baselessly accused Ukraine of involvement, a claim denied by Ukraine and contradicted by Belarusian President Lukashenko. Russia has arrested 11 men in connection with the attack, with some suspects allegedly subjected to violent interrogation methods.
Daniela Klette, a fugitive member of the far-left Red Army Faction (RAF) terror group, has been arrested in Berlin after decades on the run. Klette, along with fellow suspects Ernst-Volker Staub and Burkhard Garweg, is accused of attempted murder and armed robberies. The RAF, responsible for a campaign of terror in 1970s and 1980s West Germany, declared itself disbanded in 1998, and there is no evidence of its continued activity. Klette's arrest comes after a recent television program profiled the case, leading to numerous tips about the suspects' potential whereabouts.
A Pennsylvania man accused of beheading his father has been charged with terrorism after officials found a flash drive containing photos of federal buildings and instructions for making explosive devices. Justin Mohn, who had already been charged with first-degree murder, allegedly posted a video on YouTube holding his father's head and calling for action against federal employees. He was apprehended at a National Guard Training Center where he claimed he wanted to mobilize the Pennsylvania National Guard against the federal government.
One person was killed and two attackers were shot dead at a courthouse in Istanbul in what Turkish officials are calling a "terrorist act" blamed on the leftist group DHKP-C. Six people, including three police officers, were wounded in the attack. The assailants, alleged members of DHKP-C, were killed in a gun battle after opening fire on a checkpoint near the court. The incident follows a series of recent attacks in Turkey, including a church shooting by purported ISIL members and a suicide attack by the PKK.
