Illinois teen arrested over plot to attack Hindu temple in Aurora, Chicago suburb
Alexandros Paporakis, 19, was arrested in Palatine after allegedly planning a mass shooting at a Hindu place of worship, police say. A rifle, body armour and a white supremacist manifesto were recovered.
Teenager held after alleged plot to target Hindu worshippers in Aurora
A 19-year-old man was arrested in a Chicago suburb after allegedly planning a mass shooting at a Hindu place of worship, theguardian.com reports. Alexandros Paporakis was taken into custody on Sunday following a tip-off from an individual who had received concerning electronic communications from him, Palatine police said.
Detectives executed a search warrant at Paporakis's residence and recovered a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines and hundreds of rounds of additional ammunition. Also found were a tactical vest containing body armour and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism, Palatine police added.
Investigators examined electronic communications and a document attributed to Paporakis titled "Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter's Manifesto)". The document contained statements expressing white supremacist and extremist ideologies, including references to violence directed toward individuals of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.
Detectives believe Paporakis may have been planning to carry out an attack on 11 October, potentially targeting a Hindu place of worship in Aurora. "However, the specific intended location has not been confirmed and remains under investigation," police said, noting the FBI was assisting.
Following consultation with prosecutors from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Paporakis was charged with felony counts of making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapon possession. A judge ordered him detained at a hearing on Wednesday; his next court appearance is scheduled for 30 October. It was not immediately clear whether he had legal representation.
India's foreign ministry said it was "deeply concerned" by the incident, describing its "anti-Hindu and racist nature" as "particularly disturbing". "We expect US authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter, bring those responsible to justice, and take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents," the ministry said in a statement.
The statement was issued days before US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to visit India, at a time when long-running efforts to finalise a bilateral trade agreement between the two countries have stalled again.
Human rights advocates have said that hate against South Asians in the United States has increased in recent years, citing factors including rising anti-immigration rhetoric and a growth in white supremacist ideology.
Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)