New York, Oct 15: A 19-year-old man was arrested for plotting an attack “potentially targeting” a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area in Illinois, with authorities recovering a manifesto expressing white supremacist ideologies and containing references to violence against people of “Indian descent.”
Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine was arrested on October 11 following an investigation into an alleged mass shooting plot.
Paporakis appeared for a detention hearing on Wednesday at the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows, where a judge ordered him detained. He is scheduled to appear in court again on October 30.
The arrest comes amid celebrations of Hindu festivals, including Navaratri, and just two weeks after the Shree Swaminarayan Vadtal Dham Hindu Mandir in Richmond Heights, Ohio, was vandalised.
On October 11, the Palatine Police Department was contacted by the Mount Prospect Police Department regarding information it had received about a potential mass shooting.
The information originated from an individual who reported receiving concerning electronic communications from Paporakis.
According to investigators, Paporakis had shared a document outlining an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting. He had also shared images depicting a rifle, rifle magazines, body armour, and other tactical equipment and accessories.
“Based on information developed during the investigation, detectives believe Paporakis may have been planning to carry out an attack on Sunday, October 11, potentially targeting a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area. However, the specific intended location has not been confirmed and remains under investigation,” the police said on Wednesday.
Palatine Police detectives examined electronic communications and a self-titled document attributed to Paporakis, “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora shooter’s manifesto),” which contained “statements expressing white supremacist and extremist ideologies, including references to violence directed toward individuals of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent.”
Officers from the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments coordinated an immediate response, and through their joint efforts, Paporakis was located and taken into custody as he was leaving his residence on the evening of October 11.
As part of the subsequent investigation, Palatine Police detectives executed a search warrant at Paporakis’ residence.
During the search, investigators recovered a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, hundreds of rounds of additional rifle ammunition, tactical equipment, and other items believed to be relevant to the investigation.
Among the recovered items was a tactical vest containing body armour and a patch displaying imagery associated with white supremacist extremism.
The Aurora Police Department was also notified of the potential threat by both the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments.
Subsequently, Aurora Police coordinated outreach to Hindu places of worship under their jurisdiction and made them aware of the plot to attack them.
Paporakis has been charged with one count each of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, which comprises a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches in length.
The Hindu American Foundation said on X, “We commend law enforcement for swift action. We also urge the community to stay vigilant and report any potential threat. Every community deserves to worship without fear.”
The Palatine Police Department said it is working closely with the FBI as the investigation remains active, including the review of potential additional charges.
Additionally, authorities have not identified any known ongoing threat to the public associated with this incident.
“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,” Palatine Police Chief William Nord said.
“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.
FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Ryan Whalen said the agency aggressively works alongside its local and state law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and dismantle any threats of violence driven by radical ideologies.
