Indian Consulate Monitors Alleged Hindu Temple Shooting Plot in Illinois

By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – According to local authorities in the US on Thursday a mass shooting targeting a Hindu temple in the area failed when the assailant’s rifle jammed, media reports stated.

Local news reported that police arrested the accused after a tip from a co-worker

The Consulate General of India in Chicago, US, said it was closely monitoring developments related to the mass shooting plot against a temple in Aurora, Illinois.

Indian Mission said in a statement “The Consulate is aware of reports concerning a foiled attempt to

target a place of worship in Aurora, Illinois. We appreciate the timely action by law enforcement authorities.”

“We are in touch with members of the Indian diaspora and are closely monitoring developments,” it added.

Alexandros Paporakis, 19-year-old described himself as a “white supremacist Neo Nazi” and poured venom in a document against Indians and Hindus.

He was produced before a court on Wednesday and charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons.

US authorities stated that Paporakis admitted to the co-worker that he had gone to a Hindu temple in Aurora, about 70kms from Chicago, on Saturday, and tried to open fire, but his gun jammed, preventing a mass shooting.

He was taken into custody outside his home in Palatine, about 60kms from Chicago, on Sunday after a tip from the person who worked with him at a fast-food restaurant.

The judge remanded him to custody till October 30, when he is scheduled to appear in court next after being produced in the county court in Rolling Meadows.

Palatine Police Chief William Nord stated that a search of Paporakis’s house found a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and body armor.

Paporakis, who poured venom in a document against Indians and Hindus, was produced before a court on Wednesday and charged with making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, media reported.

According to authorities, Paporakis admitted to the co-worker that he had gone to a Hindu temple in Aurora and tried to open fire, but his gun jammed, preventing a mass shooting. There are three temples in the regions and police have notified temples in the area about the threat.

Paporakis was arrested after a tip from the person who worked with him at a fast-food restaurant. He was later produced in the county court in Rolling Meadows. The judge remanded him to custody till October 30, when he is scheduled to appear in court next.

“The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Nord said.

Paporakis on Sunday had asked his co-worker in a text message to call him. During their call, he told the co-worker that he had tried to carry out the mass shooting, but the rifle did not fire when he pulled the trigger. Later on, he fled “superfast”.

The unidentified co-worker then contacted the police in Mount Prospect, who passed on the tip to Palatine authorities.

Paporakis shared a photograph of himself in a tactical vest and a copy of an eight-page “manifesto” titled, “Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora Shooter’s Manifesto)” with the co-worker.

Court documents stated that his “manifesto” was filled with racist outbursts against people of Indian descent and a Hindu temple.

He declared that he would die after killing as many minorities as he could, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors’ documents in court even alleged that Paporakis had been planning the attack for two years.

Nord said, “Reading through the manifesto, he did state some extremist ideologies and talked about violence; he talked about mass killings and how he wanted to carry out this mass shooting”.

The body armour had white supremacist extremist designs.