Feds: Man allegedly planned to attack local churches

COEUR d’ALENE — Authorities arrested an 18-year-old Coeur d’Alene man who had allegedly “pledged his allegiance to ISIS” and planned to attack people at local churches using guns, knives and fire, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Alexander S. Mercurio is charged by federal complaint with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“Mercurio amassed a collection of items he intended to use to conduct an attack against a local church and its congregation, planned to violently assault his father with a metal pipe so he could steal a vehicle and firearms belonging to his father, pledged allegiance to ISIS, declared his own desire to be killed during his attack and made arrangements to send his life savings to ISIS,” the criminal complaint said in part.

He was arrested Saturday, according to a news release, the day before he allegedly planned to carry out a “violent plot” in Coeur d’Alene.

“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,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a news release. “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.”

The FBI became aware of Mercurio while conducting a criminal investigation into a fundraising network that uses cryptocurrency exchanges and other financial services platforms to raise funds and launder money to support designated foreign terrorist organizations based in Syria, including ISIS, according to court documents.

Prior to July 2022, Mercurio was reportedly communicating online with individuals who were under investigation by the FBI. After a "confidential human source" adopted the same display name as a different person whose account had been deleted, Mercurio began communicating with the source, believing he was talking to someone else.

He was 17 years old at the time, court records said, and indicated his parents “wanted him to stop being Muslim.”

In March 2023, the FBI obtained copies of electronic files from Mercurio's school-issued laptop and other electronic devices, which reportedly contained audio files of songs and chants that “glorified the Islamic State and celebrated the conquests of the Islamic State.”

“My physical jihad without constraints would either be fighting on the frontlines or fighting on enemy soil, to kill and be killed,” Mercurio reportedly said in a message to a source.

In February, Mercurio met with a confidential source in Coeur d'Alene, according to court records.

Mercurio told the source in late March that he felt “a craving for mayhem and murder to terrorize those around me.” He shared a map of Coeur d’Alene with various churches marked, later identifying several possible targets.

He described plans to build a “crude flamethrower” or a “flame sword,” according to court records, but said he faced difficulties gathering the materials he needed because his father monitored his purchases.

Mercurio indicated he was determined to carry out the attack during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims throughout the world observe Ramadan as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

A confidential source met with Mercurio on April 2 and April 3, according to court records. Mercurio reportedly told the source he planned to go to work as usual April 8, so as not to arouse suspicion, then walk to a church near his home. The church was not named in the criminal complaint.

Mercurio allegedly intended to incapacitate people by beating them with a metal pipe and then “slit their throats with a knife or a machete.” He would then “start small fires” and use gas cans to create an explosion.

When police arrived, Mercurio said he planned to “hide in a corner and attempt to grab the gun of an officer to use.”

“Mercurio mentioned feeling peaceful as he is tying up his last affairs,” court documents said.

Mercurio later said he considered beating his father with the pipe and tying him up prior to the church attack, so as to spare his father’s life but prevent him from interfering. He also planned to use his father's car for transportation, court records said, and wanted to steal his father’s guns.

Court records indicate Mercurio recorded an audio message where he pledged his allegiance to ISIS.

FBI agents executed a search warrant for Mercurio's home April 7, the day before he allegedly planned to attack local churches.

A search of Mercurio's bedroom reportedly yielded a metal pipe, handcuffs, folding saw, “head covering,” two canisters of butane fuel, a machete, hand sanitizer, a black Smith and Wesson fixed blade knife, binoculars, a balaclava, two lighters and a black and white “ISIS” flag.

Authorities found multiple firearms inside a locked closet in Mercurio's father’s bedroom.

“This case should be an eye-opener to the dangers of self-radicalization, which is a real threat to our communities,” Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha of the Salt Lake City FBI said in a news release. “Protecting the American people from terrorism remains the FBI’s No. 1 priority and we continue to encourage the public to report anything suspicious to the FBI or your local law enforcement.”

The FBI is investigating the case with assistance provided by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office.

Mercurio is currently in custody awaiting his initial appearance. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.