Alexander Scott Mercurio, 18, of Coeur d’Alene, Kootenai County, Idaho, United States has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is accused of swearing an oath of loyalty to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham and planning to wage an attack in its name on churches in Coeur d’Alene.
While attending a school in Coeur d’Alene as an online student, Mercurio lived with his father. The teenager was issued a laptop and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
In March 2023, the FBI obtained copies of electronic files from Mercurio’s school-issued laptop, which contained numerous files confirming his commitment to ISIS. Among the files were a photo of him wearing a black balaclava and holding up the number one finger.
On April 3, 2024, an FBI informant filmed Mercurio declaring his allegiance to the ISIS leader. On April 5, 2024, the informant asked the teenager if he was going to postpone his plans.
“No,” Mercurio responded. “I can delay it beyond Tuesday anyway.”
Mercurio allegedly planned to use weapons, including knives, firearms and fire to execute the attack on April 7, 2024. On April 6, 2024, FBI agents arrested him at his family’s residence in Coeur d’Alene.
The agents also seized multiple firearms, a metal pipe, a machete, butane and hand sanitizer locked in the closet of Mercurio’s father. The teenager was charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Mercurio’s mother is of Russian descent. He speaks English and Arabic.
CONAN Daily 