A teenager who pledged his support to ISIS was arrested just before he planned to attack several churches in Idaho.
Alexander Scott Mercurio, 18, was arrested by the Justice Department this weekend after allegedly planning attacks on local churches in Coeur d’Alene in the name of ISIS.
A criminal complaint says Mercurio planned to carry out the attacks Sunday with guns, knives and fire. He is now accused of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS.
During a search of his parents’ home, police found “items consistent with his planned attack, including a” metal pipe, handcuffs, folding saw, head coverings, two cans of butane fuel and a machete.
Alexander Scott Mercurio, 18, was arrested by the Justice Department this weekend after allegedly planning attacks on local churches in Coeur d’Alene in the name of ISIS
He is now accused of attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS
According to a criminal complaint, Mercurio planned to carry out the attacks with guns, knives and fire on several churches in Coeur d’Alene on Sunday.
Police also found several rifles and pistols in his father’s bedroom.
Mercurio “stated that he planned to incapacitate his father with a pipe, handcuff him and use the firearms locked in the closet to attack the church,” according to court documents.
According to the affidavit, the 18-year-old used his school-issued laptop to investigate and plan a terrorist attack.
Mercurio allegedly told the informant that he once “drank the Kool aid of white supremacy” before finding “more purpose” in ISIS.
Mercurio said there are “too many churches” to choose from when scouting a location for the attack.
“I’m going to fix that soon,” he reportedly said.
The teen also expressed his desire to carry out an attack “partly for the sake of satisfying some sort of bloodlust,” the affidavit said.
He planned to donate his money to ISIS after the “martyrdom” mission, the affidavit said.
FBI Director Christopher Wray called the attack plan “truly heinous.”
“The defendant allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and attempted to attack people attending churches in Idaho, a truly heinous scheme that was discovered and thwarted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force,” Wray said in a statement released Monday.
Mercurio allegedly told the informant that he once drank “the Kool aid of white supremacy” before finding “more purpose” in ISIS
The teen also expressed his desire to carry out an attack “partly for the sake of satisfying some sort of bloodlust,” the affidavit said.
“This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to stop those who seek to commit acts of violence on behalf of – or inspired by – foreign terrorist groups.”
Mercurio is currently in custody awaiting his first court appearance.
If found guilty, he faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland commended the FBI’s investigative efforts and emphasized the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting and holding accountable individuals involved in acts of terrorism against the United States.
“As alleged in the complaint, the defendant swore an oath of allegiance to ISIS and planned to attack churches in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in its name,” Garland said in a statement .
“Thanks to the FBI’s investigative efforts, the suspect was taken into custody before he could take action, and he is now charged with attempting to support ISIS’s mission of terror and violence. The Department of Justice will continue to relentlessly pursue, disrupt, and hold accountable those who would commit acts of terrorism against the people and interests of the United States.”
Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the FBI in Salt Lake City emphasized the importance of vigilance in detecting and reporting cases of self-radicalization.
“This case should be an eye-opener to the dangers of self-radicalization, which poses a real threat to our communities,” Sinha said. “Protecting the American people from terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority, and we continue to encourage the public to report anything suspicious to the FBI or your local law enforcement authorities.”
“Across the Department of Justice and in my office, we have no higher calling than protecting our nation and our communities from terrorism. Together with our law enforcement partners, my office will always remain focused on this part of our mission,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit for the District of Idaho.
“I want to thank the FBI for its tireless work on this investigation and its thorough efforts to prevent violence. The support of local law enforcement was also essential to successfully disrupting the alleged plot.”