A US Army veteran allegedly plotted a terror attack on Jews, churches and police in revenge for a New Zealand mosque shooting, say authorities.
Muslim convert Mark Domingo, 26, was allegedly in the final stages of a plan to bomb what local media described as a far-right rally in California.
He was arrested on Friday after accepting what he believed to be a live bomb, delivered by undercover officers.
Mr Domingo had expressed support for violent jihad, say prosecutors.
According to court documents, the suspect – who had combat experience in Afghanistan – took steps to build and detonate a weapon of mass destruction.
“This investigation successfully disrupted a very real threat posed by a trained combat soldier who repeatedly stated he wanted to cause the maximum number of casualties,” said federal prosecutor Nick Hanna in a statement on Monday.
In online posts and in conversations with an FBI source – posing as an accomplice – Mr Domingo expressed a desire to seek retribution for the March attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and other attacks against Muslims. Mr Domingo allegedly expressed a willingness to become a “martyr” in an attack.
According to authorities, Mr Domingo considered multiple targets, including Jewish people, churches and police officers – before settling on the Long Beach rally.
Prosecutors did not specify which protest the suspect planned to attack, but US media described the intended target as a “white…
