Suspected Planned Attack On Cleveland On July 4th, Says FBI

The FBI said Monday that Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts – also known as Abdur Raheem Rafeeq – was arrested on Sunday at around 10 am

Last week he would have had clared a secret agent: their holidays arrive. The 4th of July. The day of independence. What would hit them in the kernel? Explode. Have a bomb. Explode at the parade on July 4th. "

Authorities say Pitts spoke of hitting targets such as St. John's Cathedral and giving remote-controlled cars stuffed with explosives to military children

." Cleveland led Last week a reconnaissance on the place where to park a van full of explosives during the parade of July 4.

On Sunday, during his last meeting with the undercover agent, the authorities said that Pitts was expressing his allegiance to Al Qaeda, he also allegedly wanted to conduct a future attack in Philadelphia, a place he had previously lived in.

The FBI in Cincinnati began investigating Pitts in 2017 after concerns arose in the midst of his alleged violent intentions, relocated to the Cleveland area where the local FBI office resumed the investigation.

Authorities called some of his m Facebook essays "disturbing" with c Comments urging other Muslims to learn how to shoot and throw hand grenades.

Pitts, who faces a charge of attempting material support from a foreign terrorist organization, is scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. If he is convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison, said US Attorney Justin Herdman

Stephen Anthony, FBI Special Agent, declined to say whether "Pitts had access or would have was able to build explosives. "

Pitts, who has extensive criminal background, is a citizen of the United States.