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COEUR D’ALENE, ID (WSAU) – Over the weekend, an Idaho teen was taken into custody on suspicion of preparing a terrorist attack against churches on behalf of ISIS.
After pledging loyalty to ISIS and threatening to assault Christian churches on April 7 with “flame-covered weapons, explosives, knives, a machete, a pipe, and ultimately firearms,” Alexander Scott Mercurio, 18, was taken into custody by federal agents on Saturday, according to court filings reported by the CBS News.
“Thanks to the investigative efforts of the FBI, the defendant was taken into custody before he could act, and he is now charged with attempting to support ISIS’s mission of terror and violence,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement, and FBI Director Christopher Wray followed up with a similar press release, saying, “This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who wish to commit acts of violence on behalf of or inspired by foreign terrorist groups.”
Mercurio met with a confidential FBI source both in person and virtually, according to court filings, and “proceeded to express his support for terrorist organizations, specifically ISIS,” as well as “respond to the call to the caliphate by killing Jews and Christians.” He also allegedly told the undercover source that by murdering Christians, he was performing “a good deed.”
Mercurio’s arrest comes just days after US intelligence agencies warned that ISIS operators around the world and “lone wolves” may respond to calls from the terrorist group glorifying the attack in Russia and inciting more attacks on public places.
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