Terrorist Thwarted
Attempting to use fireworks as the explosive force, this would be attacker's fuss luckily was never lit. The intended target was a Detroit mosque holding hundreds of people at a funeral.
DETROIT -- A Southern California man caught with explosives in his vehicle outside a large suburban Detroit mosque where mourners had gathered for a funeral was planning to try to blow it up, authorities say.
Dearborn police Chief Ronald Haddad said Sunday that authorities believe Roger Stockham was acting alone in the plot against one of the nation's largest mosques but still take him "very seriously." He was arraigned Wednesday on one count of making a false report or threat of terrorism and one count of possessing explosives with an unlawful intent.
Stockham had a large but undisclosed quantity of class-C fireworks including M-80s, which are outlawed in Michigan, Haddad said.
"I was comfortable with the fact that we had taken him off the street -- he isn't going anywhere," Haddad said. "I think the society he wanted to impact is safe."
Haddad said Stockham was arrested the evening of Jan. 24 in the parking lot of Islamic Center of America, while a large group was gathered inside. He said police received a 911 call from a resident.
More From KMMS-KPRK 1450 AM
