E-Paper
'Racist hostility', 'anti-India hate': India on 'attempted mass shooting' targeting Hindu temple in US
India has issued a statement regarding the thwarting of a mass shooting attempt at a Hindu Temple in Palatine, Illinois.
Prefer HTon Google
India on Thursday expressed deep concern over an alleged plot for a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in the US state of Illinois and urged American authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring those responsible to justice.
Police in Illinois arrested 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis on October 11, the same day authorities believe he was allegedly planning to carry out the mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora city in the US state. Paporakis shared a manifesto outlining the alleged plan to carry out the mass shooting that would target Indian, Jewish and African-American people.
“We are deeply concerned by reports of an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting targeting a Hindu temple in the Aurora area of Illinois. The reported anti-Hindu and racist nature of the alleged plot, including references to violence against people of Indian origin, is particularly disturbing,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries on the incident.
While acknowledging the action taken by US law enforcement, including the arrest and detention of the suspect and charges brought against him, Jaiswal said: “We expect US authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter, bring those responsible to justice, and take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents.”
Also read: US teen, who described Indians as ‘subhumans’, arrested for plotting to attack Hindu temple
The incident, he said, adds to “growing concerns over racist hostility and anti-India hate in the US”. He added, “There is a need for greater vigilance, zero tolerance for hate-motivated violence, and decisive action to ensure the safety and security of the Indian community.”
Paporakis was arrested after a colleague alerted police about his plans. The police departments of Mount Prospect and Palatine coordinated to arrest him while he was leaving his residence on Sunday afternoon. He was ordered to be detained by a Cook County judge on Wednesday and accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora.
The teenager expressed white supremacist and extremist ideologies in his manifesto, including references to violence committed against people of South Asian heritage, particularly those of Indian origin, police said. Paporakis was charged with making a terrorist threat, a “Class X” felony, and illegal possession of weapons.
A search of Paporakis’ home resulted in the seizure of a rifle, multiple loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a tactical body armour vest and other items relevant to the investigation.
Paporakis is due to appear in court again on October 30.
Deep Dive
Earlier today, a 19-year-old man, identified as Alexandros Paporakis from Palatine, was arrested over an alleged plot to attack a Hindu place of worship in the Aurora area of the US state of Illinois.
Investigators recovered a manifesto containing white supremacist views and references to violence against people of Indian origin. The plot was thwarted after Paporakis’s co-workers alerted the police after receiving disturbing digital messages from him.
Also Read | How US teen’s Hindu temple attack plot was foiled: Rifle jam, online search, call to co-worker
These messages reportedly included a document describing an alleged plan for a mass shooting, along with photographs of tactical equipment.
As per an AP report, the 19-year-old's co-workers said Paporakis openly described himself as a white supremacist at work, and alleged that he had said he could not wait to kill Indian people.
