Federal officials in Rochester, New York, have arrested and charged a local man who was allegedly plotting a New Year’s Eve machete attack on diners at a local restaurant in the name of ISIS.
Emanuel Lutchman, 25, an ex-con Muslim convert with mental issues, was charged with attempting to provide material support to the terrorist group, federal prosecutors said.
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The FBI says he had pledged allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, wanted to leave to U.S. to live in the caliphate, and was in contact with a reputed ISIS member in Syria — who urged him to kill non-Muslims on the holiday.
“New years [sic] is here soon. Do operations and kill some kuffar,” the overseas contact told him, the court papers allege.
Lutchman was nabbed with the help of confidential informants who received payment from the FBI. One of them paid for masks, zip-ties, knives, duct tape, ammonia and latex gloves that were allegedly supposed to be used in the attack, the court documents show.
In his conversations with the informants, Lutchman allegedly discussed using pressure cooker bombs or knives in an attack meant to impress his ISIS handlers, the complaint said.
“[T]hat’s what my plan, that’s on my mind, that’s all I been thinking about,” he said. “‘Cause I’m getting amped up, to accept the fact that’s what I gotta do.”
On Dec. 28, he allegedly told an informant he wanted to sneak a bomb into a club or bar, kidnap a couple of people and kill them.
“I will take a life. I don’t have a problem with that,” he said.
The FBI arrested Lutchman on Wednesday and seized a video in which swore allegiance to al-Baghdadi and claimed responsibility for the planned attack, authorities said.
“The FBI thwarted Emanuel Lutchman’s intent to kill civilians on New Year’s Eve,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Cohen of the bureau’s Buffalo division.
“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.”
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com.
