FBI Arrests Ex-Marine For Plotting Christmas Day Terror Attack In San Francisco

A former marine has been arrested for plotting a terrorist attack in San Francisco during Christmas, the FBI has confirmed.

The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Everitt Aaron Jameson, who hails from Modesto, California.

He was arrested Wednesday and court documents reveal that he was planning the attack in the Pier 39 area of the city, which is packed with tourists during the festival period.

FBI has also confirmed that Jameson planned the attack with one of their undercover agents who the suspect thought was a high ranking member of a terror group, Daily Mail reported.

After a thorough search of his home, authorities found a manifesto which denounced Trump for recently declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Along with the manifesto, the investigators also found three handguns and four fireworks at his place.

According to ABC7 News, Jameson has been charged with attempting to supply support to a foreign terrorist organization, specifically the Islamic State group.

Jameson first came to the FBI’s attention when he started liking pro-ISIS and pro-terrorism content on social media websites. This activity was flagged off by an FBI source, who also initiated contact with Jameson.

Daily Mail reported that since October Jameson exchanged several messages with the FBI source and the undercover agent, both of whom he thought were high ranking members of the terrorist group.

Reports state that these messages also included a thread where he mentions to use a tow truck from a company he works in to further the “cause."

Apart from this, reports in the Daily Mail also say that Jameson asked the undercover agents for a PVC pipe, ammunition, powder, assault rifles, and nails, among others as he was planning to set off explosives at the San Francisco pier “to funnel crowds to a certain area” where he could in all probability shoot at them.

Read the court documents here.

BBC reported that Jameson also revealed that he was quite familiar with the said area and went as far as to send several pictures and maps of it to the undercover agents.

Jameson supposedly met the agent on Dec. 16 to plan the attack which he said he could carry out between Dec. 18 – Dec. 25, reports state.

But, on Dec. 18, he backed out of the plot, the agents said.

'I also don't think I can do this after all. I've reconsidered,' he allegedly said.

The FBI searched his home on December 20 and found inside a "last will" and a statement.

The statement read: 'I Abdallah adu Everitt ibn Gordon have committed these acts upon the Kuffar, in the name of Dar al Islam, Allahu Akbar! You all have brought this upon yourselves. There is no innocent Kuffar! Each and every Kuffar in this Nationalistic, Godless society has a hand in this."

In his manifesto, Jameson also said that he was reportedly inspired by Sayfullo Saipov, who attacked New York City on Oct. 31 and killed eight people by mowing them down on a cycle path in a rented Home Depot truck.

Jameson who is currently being held in FBI custody previously graduated from the US Marines training in 2009 and was awarded the title of a “sharpshooter." However, he was discharged from the Marines later for failing to disclose his asthma.

According to the FBI, before his arrest, Jameson worked for a local truck company which has a contract with the City of Modesto.