A 19-year-old man, identified as Alexandros Paporakis from Palatine, was arrested over an alleged plot to attack a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area of the US state of Illinois . Investigators recovered a manifesto containing white supremacist views and references to violence against people of Indian origin.
Paporakis’s co-workers alerted the police after receiving disturbing digital messages from him. These reportedly included a document describing an alleged plan for a mass shooting, along with photographs of tactical equipment. He added that protecting places of worship remains a priority for law enforcement. They also recovered a gas canister labelled with a slur targeting South Asians, along with several items bearing Nazi symbols.
His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30.
Prosecutors allege that Paporakis sent the co-worker an eight-page document titled, “Why I fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto), according to a court document obtained by AP. “The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Palatine Police Chief William Nord said. Police and prosecutors said detectives found an AR-style rifle without a serial number, loaded magazines and ammunition during a search of Paporakis’s home.
A judge ruled on Wednesday that Paporakis would remain in custody while awaiting trial.
