Man, Teenagers Planned ISIS-Inspired Mosque Attack Through Instagram

A Maine man and two teens were inspired by ISIS to plan a Shia Muslim mosque attack in Chicago, NBC News shares. 

Xavier Pelkey of Waterville, Maine—alongside teenagers from Kentucky and Chicago—planned to meet during “spring break” after speaking through Instagram, and the Chicago teen told the FBI that they intended to “enter the Shia mosque and separate the adults from the children, then murder the adults” for ISIS. 

During February search warrants at the teenagers’ homes, Chicago FBI agents “seized multiple firearms, including a Remington pump shotgun, swords, knives, a bow and arrows, multiple homemade ISIS flags, and multiple electronic devices from Juvenile #1’s residence.” In Pelkey’s home, the FBI found homemade explosives and ISIS flags that were hand pained. A bomb technician found staples, “pins and thumb tacks had been inserted among the device components,” inside the bombs that were allegedly made out of fireworks.

“If they had not encountered law enforcement at that point, they would continue on to another Shia mosque or Jewish synagogue and execute the same plan,” an FBI filing read. “They did not have a plan to escape but rather their plan ended with them being shot by law enforcement.”

Pelkey is being held in custody and has been charged with possession of a destructive device that was not properly registered to him.