Tip-off foiled US teen suspect's plot to attack Hindu temple, police say
The alleged plot only failed because the 19-year-old suspect's gun jammed outside the place of worship, say police.
Key points
- Alexandros Paporakis, 19, of Palatine, Illinois, is charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful weapon possession.
- A co-worker's tip about his messages led police to foil an alleged plot against a Hindu temple in Aurora.
- Police found a rifle, ammunition, body armour and an eight-page document with extremist ideology at his home.
Alexandros Paporakis, 19, from Palatine, Illinois, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. Police say a tip-off from a co-worker foiled his alleged plot to attack a Hindu temple in the Chicago suburb of Aurora on Sunday.
Palatine police chief William Nord said on Thursday that authorities were alerted on Sunday by someone who had received concerning electronic communications from Paporakis. The co-worker had worked with Paporakis, according to prosecutors cited by CBS, the BBC's US partner.
What police found
Nord said a red Honda RDX registered to Paporakis entered the car park of a known Hindu temple in Aurora at Sunday lunchtime. The suspect allegedly tried to open fire, but the gun jammed, so he drove home, where he lived with his mother. According to NBC Chicago, Paporakis told his colleague in phone messages that his gun had jammed and he got out of there super-fast.
The police chief said officers searched Paporakis' home and found a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition and body armour. They also discovered an eight-page document containing extremist ideologies and revealing his plans for an attack. In the writings, he described himself as a sociopathic white supremacist neo-Nazi, according to CBS. Police have questioned Paporakis' mother, who was said to be unco-operative.
These communications played a vital role in bringing this matter to the attention of law enforcement
— Palatine police chief William Nord
Reaction and security
The Hindu temple identified by local media as the intended target said it had implemented new security measures. India's Ministry of External Affairs said the incident adds to growing concerns over racist hostility and anti-India hate in the US.
US congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois said he was horrified by the incident. In a Facebook statement, he said he and his family worship at the temple and were there last Sunday. The Chicago metropolitan area is home to one of the biggest Indian-American populations in the US.
