CAIR-Chicago Calls for Terrorism Charges for Maine Man Accused of Terror Plot to Bomb Chicago Mosques, Synagogue
(CHICAGO, IL 02/25/2022) - The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for terrorism charges against a Maine man arrested for planning to commit mass murder against mosques in Chicago.
Prosecutors told a federal court judge Tuesday that the man, who was arrested on Feb. 11 for possession of explosives, planned to carry out bombings at two mosques in Chicago. The man also reportedly planned to bomb a synagogue and kill more people until being shot by police. So far, he has been charged with one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device.
An FBI special agent told the court that metal items packed inside the devices were meant to increase the shrapnel expelled during an explosion.
SEE: Waterville man allegedly planned ‘mass murder’ in Chicago mosques
In a statement, CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab said:
“This is a petrifying scenario that harkens back to the mass murder of 51 worshippers at the Christchurch Mosque in New Zealand by an Australian terrorist three years ago. We are grateful to the federal and local agencies that stifled an absolute disaster from repeating. The heinous plot is a reminder that the anti-Muslim and anti-Semitic narratives that remain ubiquitous can radicalize weak-minded people into committing unspeakable horrors at any moment."
Rehab added: "A single charge count of possession of unregistered device is a slap in the face. It gives me the impression that he was out to help carve a mountain railway tunnel but forgot to register, not a mass murderer out to massacre innocent worshippers in premeditated cold calculation. We demand that terrorism charges be filed as should be obvious."
Rehab noted that it was "disturbing and reckless" that a Chicago Tribune article even failed to mention "mosques" in the headline of its story on the case, effectively downplaying the threat that the Muslim community was under in its reporting; "that's sloppy journalism at best," he said.
CAIR-Chicago is advising area mosques to review their security strategies and preparations and to run regular security drills.
CAIR-Chicago is the Chicago Chapter of America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Our mission is to defend civil rights, fight bigotry, and promote tolerance.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab, 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; CAIR-Chicago Communications Coordinator Saadia Pervaiz, 312-374-2131, spervaiz@cair.com;