A 19-year-old man has been arrested in the United States for plotting an attack to "potentially target" a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area in Illinois, Chicago. According to authorities, Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine was arrested after a manifesto expressing white supremacist ideologies and containing references to violence against people of "Indian descent" was recovered from his possession following an investigation into an alleged mass shooting plot.
The arrest comes amid the start of the Hindu festive season with Navaratri, and just two weeks after the Shree Swaminarayan Vadtal Dham Hindu Mandir in Richmond Heights, Ohio, was vandalised.
Paporakis was presented at the Cook County Third Municipal District Courthouse in Rolling Meadows on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him detained. His next hearing is scheduled for 30 October.
The Probe
Police started the probe against Paporakis, a Taco Bell cashier from Palatine, after another person reported him for planning a mass shooting. Investigators said Paporakis had shared a document outlining an alleged plan to carry out a mass shooting, along with images depicting a rifle, rifle magazines, body armour, and other tactical equipment and accessories with the person who reported him.
"Based on information developed during the investigation, detectives believe Paporakis may have been planning to carry out an attack on Sunday, 11 October, potentially targeting a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area," the police said, adding that his exact intended location remains under investigation.
The suspect had allegedly told his Taco Bell co-workers that Sunday was going to be “a special day.” Investigators said Paporakis called one coworker earlier in the day on Sunday, saying that his gun had jammed and he left “super fast” without being seen.
“The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated,” Palatine Police Chief William Nord said, adding that protecting places of worship is a law enforcement priority.
Palatine Police detectives examined electronic communications and a self-titled document attributed to Paporakis, "Why I Fought: A.K.A.: (Aurora shooter's manifesto)," which contained "statements expressing white supremacist and extremist ideologies, including references to violence directed toward individuals of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian descent."
Officers from the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments coordinated an immediate response, and through their joint efforts, Paporakis was located and taken into custody as he was leaving his residence on the evening of 11 October.
As part of the subsequent investigation, Palatine Police detectives searched Paporakis' residence and recovered a rifle, multiple loaded rifle magazines, hundreds of rounds of additional rifle ammunition, tactical equipment, and other items believed to be relevant to the investigation. They also found a tactical vest containing body armour and a patch that displayed imagery associated with white supremacist extremism.
The Threat
The Aurora Police Department was also notified of the potential threat by both the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments, who substantially coordinated outreach to Hindu places of worship under their jurisdiction and made them aware of the plot to attack them.
Paporakis has been charged with one count each of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, which comprises a rifle with a barrel less than 16 inches in length.
The Palatine Police Department said it is working closely with the FBI as the investigation remains active, including the review of potential additional charges.
Additionally, authorities have not identified any known ongoing threat to the public associated with this incident.
"The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated. Through the immediate sharing of information and coordinated response by the Palatine and Mount Prospect Police Departments, officers were able to identify and take the suspect into custody," Palatine Police Chief William Nord said.
Community Reacts
Reacting to the incident, the Hindu American Foundation said in a post on X, "We commend law enforcement for swift action."
"We also urge the community to stay vigilant and report any potential threat. Every community deserves to worship without fear," it added.
In another post, the foundation claimed that heavily armed Paporakis was already at the Hindu temple and attempted to start shooting, but the gun jammed.
"The man described himself as a "sociopathic white supremacist Neo-Nazi filled with hatred, fantasizing about mass murder nearly every day," it added.
The Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple management has also reacted to the development and said they are fully aware of the situation and have been in direct communication with the Aurora Police Department.
"Please know that the safety of our devotees, employees and volunteers is our highest priority, and we have implemented additional security measures effective immediately, including an increased armed security presence at the Temple from 9am to 9pm, and we are taking additional steps to ensure an ongoing safe environment for everyone at the Temple," the temple authorities said in a statement.
The exact intended location of Paporakis's target remains under probe, but investigators believe he wanted to target the largest Hindu temple in southwest suburban Aurora. Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple is the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, Illinois.