It was Ciccolo’s own father, Boston Police Captain Robert Ciccolo Jr., who brought his son’s alleged extremism to the attention of the FBI, and also told agents that his son had a long history of mental illness.
Advertisement
“I heard that Isis had like sleepers in the United States but I never thought it would be in Adams Massachusetts”, Rysz said.
Ciccolo was arrested on July 4, charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and is due to appear in court on a detention hearing Tuesday.
According to federal authorities, the FBI learned after receiving the father’s tip that Ciccolo maintained a Facebook profile under the name Ali Al Amriki and posted messages expressing an interest in martyrdom and a desire to fight for the Islamic State.
In this July 26, 2012 photo provided by the Northumberland News, Alexander Ciccolo participates in a peace walk through Brighton, Ontario. Asked if ISIS was a good thing, Ciccolo replied in the video, “Yes”.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation arranged for the cooperating witness to meet Ciccolo, who told the witness he had a plan to engage in domestic terrorism operations.
Ciccolo said he intended to place a few explosives on campus before the attack and would plan to attack the cafeteria at lunchtime. Ciccolo has been held at the Wyatt federal lockup in Rhode Island since his arrest.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says Alexander Ciccolo ordered and received four guns with large ammunition magazines to kill innocent people in support of the terrorist organization.
Citing anonymous sources, the Associated Press and other outlets reported that Ciccolo’s father was the first to bring his concerns about his son’s growing affection for ISIS and ISIL to authorities.
“Wherever they go, they’re changing things”, he says.
In USA court documents, prosecutors say that several “partially constructed” Molotov cocktails were found in the flat, along with two machetes and a long, curved knife. Before his arrest, the government says Ciccolo bought a pressure cooker from the Walmart in North Adams.
They allege that he is a supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group, who wanted to wage a gun and bomb attack on college dorms and a cafeteria that would be broadcast live on the Internet.
His attorney, David Hoose, said Ciccolo had so far only been charged with gun violations and that his views on Islamic State should not be considered. Awesome. Awesome, you that ah, that brother in Tunisia was impressive, Ciccolo allegedly said.
After the 23-year-old was arrested, authorities allege that he stabbed a nurse in the head with a pen during medical examination.
Advertisement
Prosecutor Kevin O’Regan said Ciccolo wanted “to kill as many people that he could”. Tuesday’s hearing is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.in US District Court in Springfield.
