An Adams, Massachusetts, man has been charged in an
indictment in connection with a plot to engage in terrorism on behalf of
ISIL. The announcement was made by
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney
Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts and Special Agent in Charge
Vincent Lisi of the FBI’s Boston Division.
Alexander Ciccolo, aka Ali Al Amriki, 23, was charged by a
grand jury in U.S. District Court in Springfield, Massachusetts, with one count
of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and one count of assault
with a deadly weapon and causing bodily injury to a person assisting an officer
of the United States in the performance of official duties. The latter charge stems from Ciccolo’s
alleged attack of a nurse during a jail intake process after his arrest.
According to evidence presented at a previous detention
hearing, on July 4, 2015, Ciccolo took delivery of four firearms which he had
ordered from a person who was cooperating with members of the Western
Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force, and who had been communicating with
Ciccolo about Ciccolo’s plans to engage in a terrorist act. Ciccolo was arrested immediately after taking
delivery of the firearms, which included a Colt AR-15 .223 caliber rifle, a
SigArms Model SG550-1 556 rifle, a Glock 17-9 mm pistol and a Glock 20-10 mm
pistol. Ciccolo had previously been
convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in jail and therefore was
prohibited from possessing firearms.
The government alleged that Ciccolo is a supporter of the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist
organization. Ciccolo had spoken with a
cooperating witness in recorded conversations about his plans to commit acts of
terrorism inspired by ISIL, including setting off improvised explosive devices,
such as pressure cookers filled with black powder, nails, ball bearings and
glass, in places where large numbers of people congregate, such as college
cafeterias. Prior to his arrest, agents
had observed Ciccolo purchase a pressure cooker similar to that used in the
Boston Marathon bombings.
During a search of Ciccolo’s apartment after he was
arrested, agents found several partially constructed “Molotov cocktails.” These incendiary devices contained what appeared
to be shredded Styrofoam soaking in motor oil.
Ciccolo had previously stated that this mixture would cause the fire
from the exploded devices to stick to people’s skin and make it harder to put
the fire out.
Shortly after his arrest, while he was being processed at
the Franklin County Correctional Center, Ciccolo stabbed a nurse with a pen,
leaving a bloody gash on the top of the nurse’s head.
Based on these alleged facts and evidence presented at
Ciccolo’s detention hearing on July 14, 2015, Magistrate Judge Katherine A.
Robertson of the District of Massachusetts ordered that Ciccolo be detained
until trial.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms
provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of
supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon causing bodily injury
provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of
supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum
penalties. Sentences are imposed by a
federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and
other statutory factors.
This investigation is being conducted by the Western
Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin O’Regan
and Deepika Shukla of the District of Massachusetts and the National Security
Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The details contained in the indictment are
allegations. The defendant is presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of
law.
An Adams, Massachusetts, man has been charged in an
indictment in connection with a plot to engage in terrorism on behalf of
ISIL. The announcement was made by
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney
Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts and Special Agent in Charge
Vincent Lisi of the FBI’s Boston Division.
Alexander Ciccolo, aka Ali Al Amriki, 23, was charged by a
grand jury in U.S. District Court in Springfield, Massachusetts, with one count
of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms and one count of assault
with a deadly weapon and causing bodily injury to a person assisting an officer
of the United States in the performance of official duties. The latter charge stems from Ciccolo’s
alleged attack of a nurse during a jail intake process after his arrest.
According to evidence presented at a previous detention
hearing, on July 4, 2015, Ciccolo took delivery of four firearms which he had
ordered from a person who was cooperating with members of the Western
Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force, and who had been communicating with
Ciccolo about Ciccolo’s plans to engage in a terrorist act. Ciccolo was arrested immediately after taking
delivery of the firearms, which included a Colt AR-15 .223 caliber rifle, a
SigArms Model SG550-1 556 rifle, a Glock 17-9 mm pistol and a Glock 20-10 mm
pistol. Ciccolo had previously been
convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in jail and therefore was
prohibited from possessing firearms.
The government alleged that Ciccolo is a supporter of the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist
organization. Ciccolo had spoken with a
cooperating witness in recorded conversations about his plans to commit acts of
terrorism inspired by ISIL, including setting off improvised explosive devices,
such as pressure cookers filled with black powder, nails, ball bearings and
glass, in places where large numbers of people congregate, such as college
cafeterias. Prior to his arrest, agents
had observed Ciccolo purchase a pressure cooker similar to that used in the
Boston Marathon bombings.
During a search of Ciccolo’s apartment after he was
arrested, agents found several partially constructed “Molotov cocktails.” These incendiary devices contained what appeared
to be shredded Styrofoam soaking in motor oil.
Ciccolo had previously stated that this mixture would cause the fire
from the exploded devices to stick to people’s skin and make it harder to put
the fire out.
Shortly after his arrest, while he was being processed at
the Franklin County Correctional Center, Ciccolo stabbed a nurse with a pen,
leaving a bloody gash on the top of the nurse’s head.
Based on these alleged facts and evidence presented at
Ciccolo’s detention hearing on July 14, 2015, Magistrate Judge Katherine A.
Robertson of the District of Massachusetts ordered that Ciccolo be detained
until trial.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms
provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of
supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon causing bodily injury
provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of
supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum
penalties. Sentences are imposed by a
federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and
other statutory factors.
This investigation is being conducted by the Western
Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin O’Regan
and Deepika Shukla of the District of Massachusetts and the National Security
Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The details contained in the indictment are
allegations. The defendant is presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of
law.
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