NEW DELHI: The Consulate General of India in Chicago on Wednesday welcomed the timely action taken by US law enforcement authorities after the arrest of 19-year-old man accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Illinois.In a statement, the Indian Consulate said it was aware of reports about an alleged plot to attack a place of worship in Illinois’s Aurora. It added that it was closely monitoring the situation and was in touch with members of the Indian diaspora.“The Consulate is aware of reports concerning a foiled attempt to target a place of worship in Aurora, Illinois. We appreciate the timely action by law enforcement authorities. We are in touch with members of the Indian diaspora and are closely monitoring developments,” the Consulate General of India in Chicago said.According to the Palatine Police Department, the 19-year-old suspect, identified as Alexandros Paporakis, was arrested after an investigation into threats of a possible mass shooting at a Hindu temple.The investigation began on October 11, when the Palatine Police Department received information from the Mount Prospect Police Department about a possible mass shooting. The information came from a person who reported receiving concerning electronic messages from Paporakis.Investigators said Paporakis had shared a document describing an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting at the Hindu temple. He had also shared images of a rifle, rifle magazines, body armour and other tactical equipment.Police arrested Paporakis as he was leaving his home. Detectives later searched his residence and recovered a rifle, several loaded rifle magazines, hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition, tactical equipment and other items linked to the investigation.The items included a tactical vest with body armour and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism.Investigators also examined electronic communications and a document attributed to Paporakis titled “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto).”According to police, the document contained white supremacist and extremist views, including references to violence against people of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.Detectives believe Paporakis may have been planning an attack on October 11, possibly targeting a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area. Following the investigation, police contacted Hindu places of worship within their jurisdiction to alert them to the reported threat.Paporakis was charged with one count of Making a Terrorist Threat, a Class X felony, and one count of Unlawful Possession of Weapons. He appeared for a detention hearing on Wednesday, where a judge ordered that he remain in custody.Palatine Police chief William Nord stressed the seriousness of the alleged threat and credited the quick response of the two police departments and the person who first reported the messages.“The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated. Through the immediate sharing of information and coordinated response by the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments, officers were able to identify and take the suspect into custody. We are grateful for the FBI’s assistance in the subsequent investigation and commend the individual who initially came forward with this information. Protecting our communities and places of worship remains a priority, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners as this investigation moves forward,” Nord said.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also highlighted its work with local and state police to investigate threats allegedly linked to extremist ideologies.“The FBI aggressively works alongside our local and state law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle any threats of violence driven by radical ideologies,” said FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen.He added that the suspect had been arrested without causing harm to the community and said the agency would continue to pursue those responsible for threats of violence.
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“Thanks to the swift action by the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments, the subject was taken into custody without harm to our community. The FBI values these strong partnerships and will continue to use every law enforcement and prosecutorial resource available to bring any offender using fear or violence to justice,” Whalen said.The Indian Consulate’s statement comes as US authorities continue to investigate the alleged plot and examine evidence recovered during the probe. Police have also alerted Hindu places of worship in their jurisdiction about the reported threat.
