Man arrested in Montana for threatening to attack U.S. location, including a synagogue

Marcy Oster

(JTA) — An Albanian national with U.S. citizenship was arrested after he told a federal informant that he wanted to join ISIS and plan a terror attack on one of several possible locations, including a synagogue.

Fabjan Alameti, 21, of New York, was arrested in Montana last week.

Beginning in January, Alameti spoke with a federal informant about fighting with ISIS and plotting an attack in the U.S. against a military facility, recruitment center, government building, “gay club,” or Jewish temple, FBI Special Agent Matthew Duermeier said in a sworn statement filed with the U.S. Magistrate’s Court in Helena, Montana, The Associated Press reported.

He later said he would not carry out an attack in the U.S.  because the country had granted him citizenship, the statement also said.

Last month he moved to Montana due to family issues and because it is easier to buy a gun in the state, he told the informant.

After he heard about the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand he was inspired to “attack random people” out of revenge.

Alameti was arrested in Montana on Wednesday for possessing a weapon, an air rifle, while using drugs, in this case marijuana.

He was ordered held for continued judicial proceedings.