A veteran of the US military "planned to bomb a Nazi rally"

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Department of Justice

A US Army veteran was arrested while he was in the final phase of a plan to bomb a white supremacy rally in California, authorities said.

A converted Muslim, Mark Domingo, 26, also allegedly plotted terrorist attacks against Jews, churches and police to avenge the shooting of a mosque in New Zealand.

It took place Friday after accepting what he thought was a real bomb delivered by undercover agents.

Domingo had voiced support for violent jihad, prosecutors said.

According to court documents, the former infantryman experienced in action in Afghanistan has taken steps to build and detonate a weapon of mass destruction.

"This investigation has defeated a very real threat posed by a skilled combat soldier who has repeatedly stated that he wanted to make the most victims," ​​said federal prosecutor Nick Hanna on Monday in a statement. .

In online publications and in conversations with an FBI source – posing as an accomplice – Mr. Domingo has expressed the wish to seek redress for the March attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and other attacks against Muslims.

He also expressed his desire to become a "martyr" in an attack.

According to the authorities, Mr. Domingo envisioned several targets, including Jewish people, churches and police, before settling for the Long Beach rally.

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A far-right group planned to march Sunday at Bluff Park in Long Beach, although they did not show up. Anti-racist counter-demonstrators were however present.

The idea of ​​targeting the Long Beach event would have been discussed at a meeting on April 19 between Mr. Domingo and the FBI agent.

Mr. Domingo arrived at the meeting with an AK-47 type rifle to show that he was "serious" about his plans, prosecutors said.

He also reportedly referred to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and said he wanted a device that could kill 50 people.

Mr. Domingo also reportedly planned to bomb the Santa Monica Pier, where he claimed that a summer attack against the crowded tourist site would make a maximum number of victims.

Prosecutors say he's been talking about the mass shooting in Las Vegas from October 2017 – the most deadly attack of this type in the history of the United States, she has made 58 dead – as a plan for his own assault.

He announced online that "America needs another event in Vegas" to "give them a glimpse of the terror that they gladly spread around the world," prosecutors said. .

According to court documents, once Mr. Domingo determined the location of his attack, he allegedly collaborated with the FBI source to find a bomb maker.

The suspect planned to install homemade explosive devices with pressure cookers filled with nails that would be triggered remotely or triggered by a timer.

He would have bought "several hundred nails" intended to be used as shrapnel in the improvised explosive device.

"Domingo said that he had specifically bought 3-inch nails because they would be long enough to penetrate the human body and puncture the internal organs," the affidavit says.

In discussions with the FBI agent, Mr. Domingo allegedly claimed that if the Islamic State came to the United States, "he would swear allegiance" to the group.

On Thursday, after buying the nails, Mr. Domingo allegedly sent a message to the undercover officer telling him that the bombing was to take place.

The FBI agent then delivered several "inert devices", which Mr. Domingo supposedly considered as weapons of mass destruction.

The authorities indicated that Mr. Domingo had traveled to Long Beach to inspect the scene of the attack after being detained.

In a joint statement, the federal authorities celebrated the failure of the alleged attack and declared that there was no outstanding threat to the public.

In the event of conviction, Mr. Domingo could be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years imprisonment in a federal prison.