Illinois : India on Thursday expressed concern over a plot to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the reported anti-Hindu and racist nature of the plot, including references to violence against people of Indian origin, was “particularly disturbing”. Jaiswal said the incident added to growing concerns over racist hostility and anti-India hate in the US.
Police arrested Alexandros Paporakis, 19, a resident of Palatine, Illinois, on October 11. Investigators recovered an eight-page manifesto expressing white supremacist views and referring to violence against people of Indian descent. The investigation began after a person alerted Mount Prospect Police to concerning messages from Paporakis. Police said he had shared a document outlining a shooting plan, along with images of a rifle, magazines, body armour and tactical equipment.
The rifle jammed when he tried to open fire. He then fled and searched online for ways to fix it. Officers arrested him as he was leaving his residence. A search of his home yielded a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and tactical equipment, police said. Paporakis faces one count each of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of a weapon involving a rifle. A judge ordered him detained after a hearing on Wednesday. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30.
Police said they were working with the FBI to determine whether further charges were warranted. Authorities said they had identified no known ongoing threat to the public linked to the case. The Indian Consulate in Chicago praised the “timely action” of US law enforcement authorities. “We are in touch with members of the Indian diaspora and are closely monitoring developments,” it said on X. “This is where the poison of anti-Indian hatred and white supremacy can lead, and we cannot wait until innocent people are killed to take it seriously,” he said.
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