Authorities in Southern California have identified the suspect in a thwarted terror plot that is believed to have involved multiple targets, including a rally planned in Long Beach this weekend.
Officials from multiple state and federal agencies gave a news conference Monday afternoon announcing the arrest of Mark Domingo, a 26-year-old Reseda resident, who is accused of planning a bombing at a planned white nationalist rally in Orange County over the past weekend that did not ultimately take place – though it does not appear that the event’s postponement or cancellation was related to the plot or the arrest.
Domingo is reportedly a military veteran who served for four months in Afghanistan in 2010, and is “consumed with hate” against multiple groups, including Jews and police officers. He reportedly wanted to kill a neighbor as well as set off a bomb at the Santa Monica pier, a popular tourist location.
The officials said that Domingo had converted to Islam and reportedly said he would join ISIS if the terror group came to the United States.
#BREAKING: Mark Steven Domingo, 26, of Reseda, has been arrested in connection to the alleged terrorism plot aimed at 'multiple targets' in Southern California. https://t.co/tC4T61G5Cl pic.twitter.com/MgsiQ8GiRF
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) April 29, 2019
The officials did not disclose details about how they became aware of the suspect, but said that some of his threatening statements were made in chatrooms devoted to violent topics. According to a criminal affidavit obtained by NBC News, Domingo appears to have been motivated by retribution for last month’s attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which a suspect believed to be a white surpremacist extremist killed 50 people. He reportedly planned to bomb a Nazi rally planned in Long Beach for the weekend of April 27.
According to the report, undercover FBI agents made contact with Domingo after being alerted by the online posts. Officials said at the news conference Monday that Domingo was arrested after he “took receipt” of bombs given to him by an undercover agent, which he intended to fill with 3-inch long nails. But the bombs he was given her not actual explosive devices, and Domingo was arrested after he went to Long Beach to finalize the plan for the bombing and “inflict the maximum number of deaths,” a law enforcement official said at the news conference.
Domingo reportedly wanted his attack or attacks to be on par with the Las Vegas shooting in October 2018, and said at some point that “America needs another Vegas event.”
Authorities have said that Domingo appeared to be acting alone, and that there is no immediate threat to the public at this time.
[Feature image: Pixabay]
