US: Man held after alleged plot to attack Hindu temple; rifle jammed, say authorities

Chicago: A 19-year-old man in the US state of Illinois has been arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Aurora, authorities said. The attack allegedly failed after his rifle jammed, and he was later detained following a tip from a co-worker.

Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine was arrested on Sunday outside his home, about 60 km from Chicago. He has been charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, according to police and prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Paporakis told a co-worker that he had gone to a Hindu temple in Aurora, about 70 km from Chicago, on Saturday and attempted to open fire, but the weapon did not fire when he pulled the trigger. He allegedly fled the area soon after.

The co-worker alerted police in Mount Prospect, who passed the information to Palatine authorities. Paporakis was taken into custody as he was leaving his residence on Sunday evening.

Police said a search of Paporakis’s home recovered an AR-style rifle, loaded magazines, about 300 rounds of ammunition and a tactical vest. Investigators said the vest carried white supremacist imagery.

Court documents cited by police said Paporakis had written an eight-page manifesto, titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto)”, containing racist and extremist material targeting people of Indian descent and a Hindu place of worship.

Palatine Police Chief William Nord said the document reflected extremist ideologies and discussed violence and mass killings. “The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” he said.

Paporakis appeared in court in Rolling Meadows on Wednesday and was ordered detained until his next hearing, scheduled for October 30.

Authorities said they were working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to examine his electronic devices and communications. Police have notified Hindu temples in the Aurora area about the alleged threat, though investigators said the exact intended target had not been conclusively established.

Prosecutors said Paporakis may have mental health issues and that the co-worker had described him as behaving erratically over the weekend. The investigation is continuing.

(Inputs from IANS)