A U.S. Army veteran recently converted to Islam was arrested by federal authorities Friday for planning to detonate bombs at several Southern California locations to cause "mass casualties" in revenge for the mass killings of Muslims in New Zealand last March 15.
Mark Stevens Domingo, 26, was arrested after he took delivery of what he thought was an improvised explosive device (IED) from an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a bomb maker. Domingo, who hails from Reseda in the San Fernando Valley, was charged with attempting to provide material support to terrorists. He recently served in Afghanistan.
Domingo is accused of with targeting "Jews as they walked to synagogue, police officers, a military facility, and crowds at the Santa Monica Pier."
The federal affidavit filed against Domingo said that "after considering various attacks -- including targeting Jews, churches and police officers -- Domingo decided to detonate an IED at a rally scheduled to take place in Long Beach this past weekend.
"As part of the plot, Domingo asked his confederate -- who actually was cooperating with the FBI as part of the investigation -- to find a bomb maker, and Domingo last week purchased several hundred nails to be used as shrapnel inside the IED."
"Domingo said he specifically bought 3-inch nails because they would be long enough to penetrate the human body and puncture internal organs."
California prosecutors claim Domingo wanted revenge for the New Zealand mosque attacks and said he was willing to become a martyr.
"There must be retribution," he said in an online post, according to the FBI. Domingo also swore allegiance to the Islamic State.
On March 2, Domingo posted a video online professing his Muslim faith, said the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Domingo also wrote, "America needs another vegas event ... (to) give them a taste of the terror they gladly spread all over the world."
Domingo was referring to the massacre on Oct. 1, 2017, committed by a lone gunman who committed suicide after shooting to death more than 50 people.
The FBI said it discovered Domingo's posts and dispatched an informant to begin a series of meetings with Domingo. Domingo talked to the FBI informant about "Jews, police officers, churches and a military facility." He also talked about drive-by shootings using an AK-47 style rifle.
Domingo finally decided to attack a rally at Long Beach. He was also considering attacking the Santa Monica Pier, said the FBI.
US Attorney Nick Hanna said law enforcement "was able to identify a man consumed with hate, and bent on mass murder and stop him before he was able to carry out his attack."
He also said Domingo wanted to "seek retribution for attacks against Muslims" and also considered there is no ongoing threat to the public and no known co-conspirators, Hanna said.
Hanna said the "criminal case outlines a chilling terrorist plot that developed over the past two months and targeted innocent Americans that he expected to gather this past weekend."
