Idaho 18yo Charged With 'Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS' - FBI Informants Gave Him ISIS Flag, Helped Plan 'Attack'

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
Apr. 09, 2024

The feds appear to be trying to drum up support for America and Israel's wars in the Middle East by entrapping an idiot 18-year-old in a plot to attack churches in Idaho on behalf of ISIS.

The Department of Justice on Monday unsealed charges against 18-year-old Alexander Mercurio of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for allegedly "attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIS."

News2Share's Ford Fisher reported that "at least three [FBI Confidential Human Source Informants] and an undercover helped him plan attacks on churches before the FBI arrested him."

"Here, [Mercurio] poses with a flag given to him by a CHS in a photo taken by a CHS," Fisher added.

The DOJ has charged 18-year-old Alexander Mercurio with providing material support to ISIS after at least three CHS's and an undercover helped him plan attacks on churches before the FBI arrested him.

Here, he poses with a flag given to him by a CHS in a photo taken by a CHS. pic.twitter.com/wA3kWGm6zc
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

2) The FBI says that an online account belonging to an alleged ISIS supporter was deleted, and its owner believed dead, so the feds installed a CHS to play the role of the dead individual.

Mercurio allegedly contacted the CHS on the new account. pic.twitter.com/tLd81Nv8P5
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

3) Mercurio then allegedly began speaking to a second Confidential Human Source, to whom he confided that he had previously "drank the Kool-Aid of White Supremacy" before his alleged endeavor with Islamic terrorism. pic.twitter.com/Iq2dnUBQ7Q
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

4) In March, Mercurio allegedly told an "FBI Online Covert Employee" that "I am going to perform a martyrdom operation" and explained to CHS-1 that he intended to use a "flame sword." pic.twitter.com/7AVSS3DmZ1
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

5) While talking to an FBI CHS, Mercurio allegedly said he would have to walk to his terror attack because he only has a learners permit and needs an adult to drive with him.

He allegedly told CHS-1 he had shared his plan with someone else, but it was likely just CHS-2. pic.twitter.com/Xoy7hVmqwS
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

6) Undercover 1 (UC1) messaged Mercurio, who allegedly set up a new chat he thought would be "safe and secure" with UC1.

Then Mercurio allegedly spoke to CHS-3, saying he wanted to do a "martyrdom operation." pic.twitter.com/003FsvbCk5
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

7) On the day before an alleged attack would have taken place, Mercurio reached out to the FBI's CHS-2 allegedly expressing concerns about causing him to be investigated.

CHS-2 reassured him "don't worry about me" and that Allah would guide him. pic.twitter.com/43EEjJBobL
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

8) On April 6, the FBI raided his house.

The full affidavit is below. In total I count 18-year-old Alexander Mercurio allegedly communicating with:

-Three Confidential Human Sources
-One undercover agent
-One FBI Online Covert Employeehttps://t.co/yscI5YwOMK pic.twitter.com/8S5oCzKceL
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

9) “This case should be an eye-opener to the dangers of self-radicalization, which is a real threat to our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI in the DOJ statement about the arrest.https://t.co/mrzU3IxpGn pic.twitter.com/o8390CanQ0
— Ford Fischer (@FordFischer) April 9, 2024

"The defendant swore an oath of loyalty to ISIS and planned to wage an attack in its name on churches in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho," Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement on Monday, CBS News reports. "Thanks to the investigative efforts of the FBI, the defendant was taken into custody before he could act."

If convicted, Mercurio faces up to 20 years in federal prison, the DOJ said.

Mercurio's dad is lucky the FBI finally stepped in before he killed him -- and same goes for the churchgoers he was allegedly targeting. The feds claim in their indictment that their informant was told on or about March 26 that Mercurio said he would carry out the attack "in the last few days of Ramadan" (which spans from March 10 to April 9).

The feds said they arrested him on April 6 and his "attack" was planned for April 7.

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