California law enforcement officials stopped an Army veteran from carrying out a deadly terror attack at a political rally, officials announced Monday, foiling a plot to retaliate for a recent mass killing at a New Zealand mosque.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, arrested 26-year-old Mark Steven Domingo after undercover investigators discovered the man making violent threats on social media. According to NBC News, Domingo, who had recently converted to Islam, told people in a private online group about his desires to kill police officers, white supremacists, Christians or Jews—it didn’t necessarily matter. Domingo was apprehended after he bought pressure cooker bombs from people he assumed were confederates but turned out to be undercover agents.
“I feel like I should make a christians life miserable tomorrow for our fallen bros n sis in [N]ew Zealand,” wrote Domingo, according to the affidavit. “[M]aybe a jews life...they shed our blood...no Muslim should have to experience this, a message needs to be sent.”
Domingo allegedly purchased 80 pounds of nails to use in the improvised explosive devices and scouted two locations in Long Beach to plan the attack. He finally settled on a political rally in Long Beach, Calif. But alas, after six weeks of planning, Domingo was apprehended by law enforcement officers on Friday evening.
Law enforcement officials say that the public was never in any danger, noting that they had him undercover the entire time they gathered their evidence.
“There must be retribution,” Domingo reportedly wrote after the March mass shooting at a New Zealand mosque that left 50 dead. “America needs another Vegas attack.”
Authorities say that Domingo converted to Islam in the army and had quickly become radicalized, pledging support to ISIS and radical Muslim groups.