ADAMS, Mass. (NEWS 10) – Federal Agents have arrested the son of a Boston police captain in a plot to commit terrorist acts on behalf of the Islamic State group.
Alexander Ciccolo is accused in a criminal complaint unsealed Monday of receiving four guns on July 4 from a person cooperating with the Western Massachusetts Joint Terrorism Task Force.
An FBI affidavit says the 23-year-old Ciccolo had talked with the cooperating witness in recorded conversations about his plans to commit acts inspired by Islamic State, including setting off pressure cooker bombs at an unidentified university. He allegedly said the attack would include executions of students broadcast live online.
Ciccolo said he believed that “the faith is under attack” and that he is “not afraid to die for the cause,” officials say.
During the investigation agents followed Ciccolo’s movements on social media where he was known as Ali Al Amirki and express a desire to fight for ISIS.
Ciccolo also spoke very highly of the killings of Americans in foreign lands, mentioning the Tunisian and French terrorist attacks.
Before his arrest, agents had observed Ciccolo buy a pressure cooker similar to those used in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.
Documents obtained by News 10 say that authorities found several partially constructed Molotov cocktails at his residence.
