US man scouted Cleveland locations for July 4 bomb attack, FBI says
Demetrius Pitts had expressed his support for al-Qaeda and talked about setting off bombs at an Independence Day parade and later in his hometown, Philadelphia
An American-born man who federal authorities say recently scouted locations in Cleveland to attack people watching Fourth of July fireworks and talked of carrying out additional bombings has been charged with trying to support terrorism.
Federal authorities said on Monday that Demetrius Pitts had expressed his support for al-Qaeda for more than a year and talked about setting off bombs at an Independence Day parade and later in his hometown, Philadelphia.
Pitts, who lived most recently in Maple Heights, Ohio, was due in federal court on Monday in Cleveland.
He was arrested Sunday after meeting an undercover agent and was charged with attempted support of a terrorist organisation.
FBI agent Stephen Anthony said it was unclear how close Pitts was to carrying out his threats, but he said authorities could not sit back and wait to find out.
“We don’t have the luxury of hoping an individual decides not to harm someone or get others to act,” he said.