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The FBI’s apprehension of an 18-year-old successful Idaho who allegedly was planning to onslaught churches successful Coeur d’Alene this past play connected behalf of ISIS highlights really crypto is becoming "increasingly celebrated pinch each extremist groups," a coercion master tells FOX Business.
Alexander Mercurio, anterior to his apprehension complete nan play successful nan bluish Idaho edifice city, had told a confidential root that "he was communicating pinch an individual online done whom he will donate money via cryptocurrency to nan State (ISIS)," an FBI interrogator had written successful a criminal title released by nan Justice Department.
The title cited Mercurio arsenic saying he had $8,000 successful his savings relationship and $3,000 successful his checking account.
"Crypto is progressively celebrated pinch each extremist groups... and decidedly truthful pinch ISIS supporters," Lorenzo Vidino, nan head of nan Program connected Extremism astatine George Washington University, told FOX Business.
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Alexander Mercurio, shown present posing successful beforehand of an ISIS flag, was arrested connected Saturday, April 6.
"I deliberation complete nan past fewer years we person seen a dependable watercourse of cases involving very young and often confused men (in galore cases converts, that flirted pinch various extremist ideologies online only to yet settee connected ISIS' and scheme attacks connected their behalf)," Vidino added. "It is mostly an online phenomenon, rather good monitored by nan FBI."
Vidino besides said that belief sites "have progressively been targets of Americans inspired by ISIS."
Mercurio is now facing a national complaint of attempting to supply worldly support aliases resources to a designated overseas violent statement aft nan FBI says he devised a scheme to "incapacitate his father, restrain him utilizing handcuffs, and bargain his firearms to usage for maximum casualties" successful an onslaught he had been readying to transportation retired successful Coeur d’Alene connected Sunday, April 7.
"The suspect allegedly pledged loyalty to ISIS and sought to onslaught group attending churches successful Idaho, a genuinely horrific scheme which was detected and thwarted by nan FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force," FBI Director Christopher Wray said successful a statement.
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Alexander Mercurio has been charged pinch attempting to supply worldly support aliases resources to a designated overseas violent organization. (Kootenai County Sheriff's Office)
In a criminal complaint, nan FBI said Mercurio’s "attack scheme progressive utilizing flame-covered weapons, explosives, knives, a machete, a tube and yet firearms" and "grew much precise arsenic he yet identified nan circumstantial religion and day connected which he planned to attack."
The FBI interrogator besides said Mercurio "made a ba’yah statement, pledging his allegiance to ISIS and stating his volition to dice while sidesplitting others connected behalf of ISIS."
However, connected Saturday afternoon, FBI agents carried retired a hunt warrant astatine Mercurio’s location and took him into custody while allegedly uncovering items linked to nan plot, including a "metal pipe," "a achromatic Smith and Wesson fixed leaf knife" and a "machete," according to nan complaint.
An ISIS emblem is seen hanging successful Mosul, Iraq, successful June 2014. (Reuters / Reuters Photos)
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Mercurio now faces up to 20 years successful national situation if convicted connected nan national charge.
