Tip-off foiled US teen suspect's plot to attack Hindu temple, police say

ByCaitlin Doherty BBC News. Updated 41 minutes ago.

Key points

• Nord remarked a red Honda RDX registered to Paporakis entered the car park of a "known Hindu temple" in the suburb of Aurora at Sunday lunchtime.
• India's Ministry of External Affairs remarked the incident "adds to growing concerns over racist hostility and anti-India hate in the US".
• Palatine police chief William Nord remarked on Thursday they were notified concerning a mass shooting plot on Sunday by someone who had received "concerning electronic communications" from Paporakis.
• The Chicago metropolitan area is home to one of the biggest Indian-American populations in the US.
• According to NBC Chicago, Paporakis informed his colleague over phone messages that his gun had jammed and he secured out of there "super-fast".

For context, a Taco Bell cashier's alleged plot for a mass shooting at a Hindu temple near Chicago was thwarted by a tip-off from one of his colleagues, investigators say.

Alexandros Paporakis, 19, from Palatine, Illinois, appeared in court on Wednesday charged with one count of making a terrorist threat and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon.

Paporakis allegedly sent a message regarding the planned attack on Sunday to the co-worker. This person alerted authorities, office-holders noted.

Police remarked they identified writings in which Paporakis identified as a white supremacist and wrote regarding his hatred for non-white residents.

"These communications played a vital role in bringing this matter to the attention of law enforcement, " remarked the police chief.

According to CBS, the BBC's US partner, prosecutors remarked the tipster had worked with Paporakis.

Meanwhile, the suspect allegedly tried to open fire, but the gun jammed, so he drove home, where he lived with his mother.

Once home, he "searched internet trying to learn how to unjam his gun & called a colleague informing them of intent to carry out a mass shooting", reports NBC Chicago. He is thought to have acted alone.

In practice, the police chief remarked officers had searched Paporakis' home, where they identified a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of rifle ammunition and body armour.

Nord remarked they additionally discovered an eight-page document by the suspect containing "extremist ideologies" and revealing his intends for an attack.

In the writings, he described himself as a "sociopathic white supremacist neo-Nazi", according to CBS. Police have questioned Paporakis' mother. This person was remarked to be unco-operative.

Notably, the Hindu temple identified by local media as the intended target remarked it had implemented new security measures.

US congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois remarked he was "horrified" by the incident.

In a Facebook statement, he remarked he and his family worship at the temple and were there last Sunday.

For context, the Chicago metropolitan area is home to one of the biggest Indian-American populations in the US.

In short, tip-off foiled US teen suspect' s plot to attack Hindu temple, police say is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.