The
Department of Justice announced Monday the arrest of a former U.S. Army
infantryman who is accused of plotting a "mass casualty" terrorist
attack at a white nationalist rally in Long Beach, California over the weekend.
Agents
arrested the suspect, Mark Steven Domingo of Reseda, California, on Friday
evening after an undercover source for the FBI sent the suspect what he
believed was a live bomb that he could use to carry out his attack.
"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," U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Nick
Hanna said in a statement.
A
30-page affidavit filed with the criminal complaint against Domingo alleges
that his planning to construct a bomb dates back to early March.
Domingo
"expressed support for violent jihad," the affidavit alleges, and he
had expressed intentions to target Jews, churches and police officers in
revenge for attacks against Muslims. Domingo specifically cited the March
attack against Muslim worshipers in New Zealand, posting online, "there
mustbe retribution."
"Still
mad...even more so...since I watched the vid," he said according to court
documents.
The
documents also indicated that Domingo said he kept an AK-47 in his bed, in light
of the attack.
Following
those postings, an FBI informant contacted Domingo online and later met with
him in person, where he further detailed his planning of potential attacks. He
asked the FBI agent "to find a person to construct an IED that he said could
cause 50 casualties," according to the indictment.
According
to court documents, Domingo purchased 3-inch nails to use as shrapnel in the
improvised explosive device that he intended to make.
"Domingo
said he specifically bought three inch nails because they would be long enough
to penetrate the human body and puncture internal organs," the compliant
says.
The
indictment cited Domingo saying the United States needs "another
vegas," in reference to the October 2017 mass shooting where 58 people
were killed by a lone gunman at a country music festival.
Domingo
also, according to the affidavit expressed support for the Islamic State leader
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
"This
is why I like- I like al-Baghdadi, yeah cuz he took the direct stance...victory
or martyrdom," he said
Domingo
also pointed out various police cars, churches and a National Guard Armory that
were possible target locations, the indictment says.
While
Domingo settled on the white nationalist rally in Bluff Park as his preferred
target, local media reports indicate that no white nationalists actually
attended and the park was instead filled with counter protesters.
In
discussing the possible fallout from his planned attack, Domingo cited the
Boston Marathon bombings and said that he hoped his attack would parallel the
chaos that gripped the city in the days after.
"Remeber
the Tsarnaev brothers, the Boston bombers, it stirred up a hornets nest...I we
do this, LA is going to be locked down," he said.
If
convicted on charges of providing and attempting to provide material support to
terrorists, Domingo could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal
prison.
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