A 25-year-old man was charged with planning a New Year's Eve attack to support ISIS
REUTERS/Stringer
A 25-year-old man who planned to attack a restaurant in Rochester, New York, on New Year's Eve has been arrested and charged with attempting to provide material support to Islamic State, the U.S. Justice Department said on Thursday.
"The FBI thwarted Emanuel Lutchman’s intent to kill civilians on New Year's Eve,” a Justice Department statement quoted FBI Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen as saying.
“The FBI remains concerned about people overseas who use the Internet to inspire people in the United States to commit acts of violence where they live.”
Emanuel L. Lutchman, "claiming to receive direction from an overseas ISIL member, planned to commit an armed attack against civilians at a restaurant/bar located in the Rochester, New York, area today," the department said in a statement, referring to Islamic State by an acronym.
A criminal complaint against Lutchman, who appeared in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York on Thursday, described him as a "self-professed Muslim convert with a criminal history dating back to approximately 2006.... as well as previous state mental hygiene arrests."
It said Lutchman expressed support for Islamic State in telephone conversations with a paid informant in November and December. It said that this month he was in contact with someone who identified himself as a member of the militant group in Syria.
On Tuesday, he went to a Walmart store in Rochester with another informant and bought two black ski masks, zip-ties, two knives, a machete, duct tape, ammonia and latex gloves for the planned attack, the complaint said.
He had no money, and the confidential source paid about $40 for the supplies, it said.
Lutchman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if found guilty.
US Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. of the Western District of New York had a message for others who may be planning to provide support ot ISIS, "You will be caught, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished."
"While law enforcement is well equipped for such investigations, the public is reminded to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity." Hochul continued.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Rochester Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).