An Idaho teenager, Alexander Scott Mercurio, was arrested for planning to kill churchgoers in his hometown of Coeur d’Alene in the name of the Islamic State group. Mercurio, 18, was arrested by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force a day before he planned to carry out his attack. He is accused of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and was actively planning an attack on churches in the area using weapons like knives, firearms, and fire. His attack was timed to coincide with the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Mercurio detailed his plan to a confidential human source, stating he intended to kill as many people as possible in multiple churches before burning them down and fleeing the scene.
Mercurio’s plan involved attacking 21 churches in the town, and he will face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. During the investigation, Mercurio expressed support for ISIS, outlined his plan to incapacitate his father, take his firearms, and attack a local church. Law enforcement officers found an ISIS flag, butane canisters, lighters, handcuffs, a knife, a pipe, and a machete at his house during his arrest, as well as firearms belonging to his father. Mercurio also spread ISIS propaganda online and discussed ways to support the group financially and travel to west Africa to assist its operations there.
The FBI became aware of Mercurio through an investigation into a fundraising network supporting ISIS in Syria and its Afghan affiliate ISIS Wilayat Khorasan. Mercurio and at least three other suspects were found to be financially supporting individuals in Gaza. Investigators also discovered documents relating to ISIS ideology and far-right terrorists such as mass murderer Anders Breivik on Mercurio’s school-issued laptop. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with his parents’ views on his Islamic faith and customs.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland commended the FBI for preventing Mercurio from carrying out his plan and charging him with attempting to support ISIS’s mission of terror and violence. FBI Director Christopher Wray described Mercurio’s plan as truly horrific and emphasized the dangers of self-radicalization, stating it is a real threat to communities. Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI added that the case serves as an eye-opener to the dangers of self-radicalization and highlights the importance of vigilance in preventing extremist acts. Mercurio’s arrest illustrates the ongoing threat of homegrown extremism and the crucial role of law enforcement in disrupting potential attacks.
