US Police Foil Mass Shooting Plot Targeting Muslims At Florida Mosque
21 December 2017EsinIslam And
Agencies
A 69-year-old Philippines national accused of planning a mass shooting at an
Islamic center in Jacksonville, Florida has been arrested by police.
Police launched an investigation into the suspect, Bernandino Gawala Bolatete,
after a tipoff in October. The man had allegedly expressed anti-Islamic
sentiments and threatened to "shoot up" a local mosque, prompting a source to
report him to police, Sheriff Mike Williams said Monday during a news
conference.
An undercover officer met with Bolatete and confirmed his intent to carry out
an attack at the Islamic Center in Northeast Florida during Friday prayers,
according to the sheriff's office.
"Keep shooting those Muslims, you know, on Friday," Bolatete allegedly told
the officer.
He alluded to planning the shooting on a Friday, the day of the week when
Muslims gather at mosques for prayer.
Bolatete also mentioned to the officer he owned five firearms, including an
AR-15 semiautomatic rifle that could be converted into an AR-47.
Bolatete had begun planning how to carry out the shooting, including acquiring
weapons. He had asked the undercover detective to arrange delivery of a
silencer to his house Dec. 1, Sheriff Williams said.
As the delivery arrived, Jacksonville Sheriff's Office SWAT raided Bolatete's
home, and the FBI took him into custody.
FBI Special Agent Charles Spencer said, "The suspect is facing a federal
charge under the National Firearms Act of knowingly receiving and possessing a
firearm not registered to him. This investigation is ongoing and there may be
more charges."
Spencer did not elaborate on what weapons were found in Bolatete's home.
Authorities later informed the Islamic center of the thwarted attack and
ongoing investigation.
Canadian Muslim youth fatally shot, denied emergency care after defending
harrassed man
Canadian authorities arrested one man Monday in the shooting death of a
19-year-old Muslim man who police are hailing as a hero.
Police are now searching for another man who is believed to have shot Yosif
Al-Hasnawi outside a mosque in Hamilton, Ontario, just west of Toronto.
There is also an investigation underway after paramedics who arrived to treat
Al-Hasnawi were criticized by witnesses for their lackadaisical attitude.
The deceased, a Brock University medical sciences student, was hailed by
police as being a hero after he intervened when two men were harassing an
older man.
"This young man was doing what he felt was right in the situation," Det. Sgt.
Steve Bereziuk told reporters. "He was a brave young man."
Al-Hasnawi was taking a break from a religious celebration at the Al-Mostafa
Islamic Centre about 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
When he noticed the older man suffering abuse, Al-Hasnawi called out for the
two harrasers to stop.
"He saw an old man walking by here with two people who were trying to harass
him, assault him, hit him, laughing at him," one witness told reporters. "He
only told them, 'leave the old man alone.'"
The men had "an interaction" with the Muslim youth and a shot rang out.
It turned out he was seriously wounded, but Amin Al-Tahir, a director at the
mosque, said when paramedics arrived, they told the victim he was fine and
indicated that he was acting.
"He told them, 'I can't breathe'," Al-Tahir said.
Another witness, Tom Raczynski, who lives in the area, said paramedics kept
saying he was "faking."
"The one paramedic kept saying, 'Oh, you're a good actor'," Raczynski said.
Hamilton Paramedic Services said in a statement Monday that an investigation
into the incident is underway.
It is also not clear why Al-Hasnawi was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital when
there was a trauma center at a closer hospital.
Bereziuk said Al-Hasnawi and his family immigrated to Canada from Iraq in
2008.
The police officer said the victim was trying to do the right thing.
"He was being that Good Samaritan," Bereziuk said.
A ceremony will be held in Canada and then the remains will be sent to Iraq.
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