Terror Plot In Los Angeles: FBI Arrest US Army Veteran Who Cited New Zealand Mosque Shooting

A U.S. Army veteran looking to carry out a domestic terror plot in the Los Angeles area had his plans foiled by the FBI, according to court papers released Monday.

Mark Steven Domingo, 26, of the Los Angeles suburb of Reseda, had been planning a series of retaliatory attacks in the wake of the March Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand, amassing an arsenal of weapons that included 80 pounds of nails for a bomb.

"Domingo said he specifically bought three-inch nails because they would be long enough to penetrate the human body and puncture internal organs," according to an affidavit.

He wanted to set off explosives at the Santa Monica Pier and L.A. freeways. He was arrested Friday and charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, according to the Department of Justice.

Domingo's last deployment came in 2013 when he served a four-month tour in Afghanistan. He reportedly became obsessed with getting or creating his own homemade bombs. He had also converted to Islam.

Domingo made his intentions known in a private chat board.

"There were mosque shootings in [N]ew Zealand," Domingo posted to an online group. "[T]here must be retribution."

According to federal prosecutors, his posted also noted: "I feel like I should make a [C]hristians life miserable tomorrow for our fallen bros n sis in New Zealand...maybe a [J]ews life...they shed our blood...no Muslim should have to experience this, a message needs to be sent."

The comments caught the attention of FBI agents, who were already investigating the chat board. They then reached out and began a dialogue with Domingo.

Domingo then shared his developing plot with the informant over the next six weeks. The conversation also included Domingo explaining his fantasized targets that also included police and white supremacists.

When the informant asked him if he was worried about getting caught, Domingo said "martyrdom bro."

Domingo was arrested after the FBI sent him a false bomb in place of the real one that he thought he was getting. The decided target was identified as a "white nationalist rally" that took place Saturday in Huntington Beach, located in Orange County.

"This investigation successfully disrupted a very real threat posed by a trained combat soldier who repeatedly stated he wanted to cause the maximum number of casualties," said Nick Hanna, U.S. attorney for the Central District of California.