Terrorism Suspect Painted as Disturbed, Violent Man
 Alexander Ciccolo photographed during an anti-nuclear march in 2013 by the Napanee Beaver of Ontario. Ciccolo is currently being detained on firearms charges. |
ADAMS, Mass. — Court documents filed in connection with the arrest of an Adams resident suspected of terrorist affiliations paint the picture of a disturbed and violent individual with loyalties to the self-proclaimed Islamic State.
Alexander Ciccolo, 23, of 10 Murray St., Apt. C, was arrested on July 4 while carrying four recently acquired firearms back to his apartment.
FBI officials were on the scene through the night removing items from his apartment. U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said on Monday that the July 4 search yielded "several partially constructed 'Molotov cocktails.' "
The initial charge against Ciccolo is "being a felon in possession of a firearm which has traveled in interstate commerce," a federal offense that stemmed from his February 2015 conviction in Northern Berkshire District Court of driving under the influence of alcohol and his subsequent acquisition of two rifles and two Glock handguns from an FBI informant.
The maximum penalty on the weapons charge is 10 years in prison.
A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon in Springfield on the government's request that Ciccolo be detained "because he is both a danger to the community and a risk of flight."
A government memorandum filed in support of that request details the investigation of FBI Special Agent Paul Ambrogio and the bureau's Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The story includes meetings with a "cooperating witness" in Pittsfield, FBI surveillance of Ciccolo's July 3 purchase of a pressure cooker at the North Adams Walmart and the defendant's plans for an imminent attack on domestic targets.
It also refers to Ciccolo's "long history of mental illness" without elaborating on the statement, and his support of ISIL.
"After the defendant was arrested, he waived his Miranda rights and spoke to FBI Special Agents Paul Ambrogio and Julia Cowley," the 12-page memorandum reads in part. "The defendant refused to talk about the guns with which he was arrested but he reaffirmed his support for ISIL."
While at the Franklin County House of Correction, Ciccolo attacked a nurse who was conducting a routine medical screening, the FBI alleges.
"During the meeting with the nurse, the defendant grabbed a pen and forcefully stabbed the nurse in the head, leaving a bloody hole in the nurse's skin and causing the pen to break in half," the memorandum reads. A photograph of the nurse's head accompanies the document.
Ciccolo told the an undercover federal informant that he intended to stage an attack at a university, preferably before the end of the Islamic festival of Ramadan, which ended the evening of July 17.
"He said that he wanted to ensure that there were a lot of people there, like in a cafeteria at lunchtime, and that he wanted the conditions to be right where he could see it with his own eyes," he document reads. "The defendant said that he wanted to use pressure cookers to make an explosion and referenced the Boston Marathon bombings."
At another point, the document says Ciccolo wanted to target "college dorms and cafeteria" and wanted to live stream the "executions of students" on the Internet.
_7.jpg) Ciccolo allegedly attacked a nurse with a pen at Franklin County House of Correction. |
On Monday afternoon, ABC News reported that Ciccolo, also known as Ali Al Amriki, is the estranged son of a Boston Police Capt. Robert Ciccolo, among the responders to the scene of the Boston Marathon bombing.
It is unknown at this point how he ended up taking up residence in the Berkshires or how long he lived at the Murray Street residence. Several commenters on Facebook recalled him walking up and down Park Street three years ago chanting and banging a drum as part of his own "Peace Walk."
"While we were saddened and disappointed to learn of our son's intentions, we are grateful that authorities were able to prevent any loss of life or harm to others," the family said in a statement posted on the Boston Police department website. "At this time, we would ask that the public and the media recognize our grief and respect our desire for privacy."
The government's memorandum does paint a portrait of a person who was taking his cues from Islamic fanatics in the Middle East.
He first appeared on the FBI's radar in October 2014, according to the memorandum. That is when federal agents found a Facebook profile for Ali Al Amriki (Ciccolo) that, among other things, posted a photo of a dead American soldier with the these words attributed to Ciccolo: "Thank you Islamic State! Now we won't have to deal with these kafir back in America." "Kafir" means nonbeliever or infidel, according to Wikipedia.
In late June of this year, the federal informant engaged Ciccolo in a conversation about a recent attack in Tunisia for which ISIS claimed credit.
"Awesome," Ciccolo is heard saying in a conversation that was recorded by the FBI and transcribed in the court document. "Awesome, you know that ah, that brother in Tunisia was impressive ... he got like 38, 39 people ... one guy ... that is a huge accomplishment I think."
In a news release announcing the unsealing of documents related to Ciccolo's arrest, Ortiz's office thanked several law enforcement agencies for assisting the investigation, including the Pittsfield Police Department and the Adams Police Department, which was on hand in a supporting role during the July 4 investigation at 10 Murray St.
"I like to think that as remote as we are, we have a good relationship with our federal counterparts," Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn said on Monday.
Tags: #berkshireterror, FBI, terrorism, U.S. Court,
