OAN’s Brooke Mallory
2:08 PM – Tuesday, April 9, 2023
According to the Justice Department, the FBI detained a man in Idaho on Saturday who had sworn allegiance to ISIS and was purportedly planning an attack on churches in the state.
The complaint states that 18-year-old Alexander Scott Mercurio intended to use a variety of weapons, including “explosives, knives, a machete, a pipe, and ultimately, firearms,” to assault as many people as possible at churches in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on Sunday.
Mercurio’s violent plot was taken down by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), according to the DOJ, who announced the news in a press release on Monday.
“As alleged in the complaint, the defendant swore an oath of loyalty to ISIS and planned to wage an attack in its name on churches in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“Thanks to the investigative efforts of the FBI, the defendant was taken into custody before he could act, and he is now charged with attempting to support ISIS’s mission of terror and violence. The Justice Department will continue to relentlessly pursue, disrupt, and hold accountable those who would commit acts of terrorism against the people and interests of the United States.”
Special Agent Shohini Sinha of the FBI’s Salt Lake City office also spoke, per the release.
“This case should be an eye-opener to the dangers of self-radicalization, which is a real threat to our communities,” said Sinha.
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According to the DOJ, Mercurio now faces up to 20 years in prison for his alleged attempts to give resources or material support to a designated foreign terrorist group and for planning a terrorist attack.
“Mercurio is currently in custody, waiting for his first court appearance,” The Hill reported.
“This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who wish to commit acts of violence on behalf of, or inspired by, foreign terrorist groups,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray.
We’re in a battle in this world – a spiritual warfare battle. We may not see it, we might forget it’s there. But the enemy would love nothing more than to fill our minds with discouragement and defeat. If you’re a believer who is living like salt and light in a dark world, you won’t go for long without encountering spiritual warfare through obstacles and attacks he will hurl your direction. And though we can’t stop his cruel attacks, we don’t have to let him win. God reminds us in His word to stay aware of Satan’s schemes, to live alert in this world, and to stay close to Him.
God gives specific instructions in his Word, he gives us all we need to stand strong in this life and have victory over the battlefields of our mind, heart, and soul. Yet all too often we race through busy, full days, ill-equipped, unprepared, or simply not aware of what we’re up against, or who the real enemy even is.
The forces of darkness don’t wait for us to be ready for their attack. They’re ruthless, determined, and cunning. The devil could not care less if we “feel” prepared or prayed up for our day. In fact, he prefers we’re not.
But in a broken, dark world, how can we really know if we’re facing the expected difficulties of life as compared to true spiritual warfare attacks of the enemy? Jesus, Himself told us that in this life we would experience troubles (John 16:33), we know this to be true. And though many times, we may not fully know who or what is behind the struggles, we can be assured that God equips us for battle and He instructs us to live alert.
Spiritual warfare is not giving the devil more attention or focusing too much on his evil ways. Biblical warfare is making ourselves more attentive to what God is doing and remembering to stand firm and let Him fight our fiercest battles. There’s power through His Spirit, His Word, and in prayer, and we can be confident that He is always with us, leading our way and covering us from behind.
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