Syrian Man Charged With Plotting To Blow Up Pittsburgh Church

PITTSBURGH, PA - Federal authorities have charged a Syrian refugee and ISIS loyalist with allegedly plotting to blow up a Pittsburgh church next month. Mustafa Mousab Alowemer, 21, is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and two counts of distributing information relating to an explosive, destructive device, or weapon of mass destruction.

Federal officials announced the arrest Wednesday following an investigation by the FBI Pittsburgh Joint Terrorism Task Force. They said Alowemer planned to blow up the Legacy International Worship Center on the city's North Side to support ISIS and inspire other ISIS supporters in the United States to commit similar acts of terrorism.

“Targeting places of worship is beyond the pale, no matter what the motivation,” Assistant U.S. Attorney General John C. Demers said in a statement. “The defendant is alleged to have plotted just such an attack of a church in Pittsburgh in the name of ISIS. The National Security Division and our partners will continue our efforts to identify and bring to justice individuals in our country who seek to commit violence on behalf of ISIS and other terrorist organizations. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation.”

According to the criminal complaint, Alowemer in May distributed multiple instructional documents related to the construction and use of explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to an individual Alowemer believed to be a fellow ISIS supporter. That person was an FBI agent.

Earlier this month, Alowemer purchased several items believing they were necessary to assemble explosive device he intended to detonate in the vicinity of the church.

Alowemer allegedly used multiple social networking and mobile messenger applications to communicate with an individual whom he believed to be a fellow ISIS supporter. During his communications, Alowemer stated his support for ISIS, and his desire to answer the call for jihad or travel to conduct jihad.

Alowemer also allegedly distributed propaganda materials, offered to provide potential targets in the Pittsburgh area, requested a weapon with a silencer, and recorded a video of himself pledging an oath of allegiance to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.

Ata June 11 meeting with undercover law enforcement officials, Alowemer provided additional details about the bomb plot and provided the materials he had purchased for construction of the device. Alowemer provided two printed copies of detailed Google satellite maps, which included
handwritten markings identifying the church and routes of arrival and escape.

Alowemer also wrote and provided a 10-point handwritten plan outlining details related to his plotto personally deliver explosives in a backpack. Alowemer expressed a desire to meet one more time to conduct planning and coordination prior to detonating the device in July, but was taken into custody before the meeting occurred.

Alowemer was born in Daraa, Syria, and was admitted to the United States as a refugee in August 2016.