Idaho Teen Arrested for Alleged Plans to Attack Churches in Name of Islamic State

An Idaho teenager who was allegedly planning an attack on churches in the name of Islamic State has been arrested.

Last Saturday, federal authorities arrested 18-year-old Alexander Scott Mercurio of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, a day before his alleged planned attack on churches in the city using weapons including knives, firearms and fire.

The federal investigation into Mercurio began when he allegedly reached out to confidential human sources online and indicated his support for IS, according to a criminal complaint. Unbeknown to him, Mercurio detailed his support to an FBI informant. In addition to spreading IS propaganda online, Mercurio allegedly solicited the terror organization’s involvement in and approval of his propaganda efforts, as well as discussed traveling from the US to join IS.

Read the rest of the story at The Guardian, here.

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