Rochester cancels fireworks after New Year’s Eve attack plot

A 25-year-old man was arrested this week for allegedly plotting a terror attack Thursday night on a restaurant in upstate New York Thursday, federal investigators said.

“He planned to kill innocent civilians on New Year’s Eve in the name of the terrorist organisation”, said Assistant Attorney General John Carlin.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

After the allegations were made against Lutchman, municipal officials said canceling the fireworks festivities would free up law enforcement resources to focus on safety instead of crowd control.

The complaint described Lutchman as a “self-professed Muslim convert with a criminal history dating back to approximately 2006…as well as previous state mental hygiene arrests”.

Authorities allege he and the source went to a Walmart on Tuesday and bought two ski masks, two knives, a machete, zip ties, duct tape, ammonia and rubber gloves.

The statement said, “the defendant, claiming to receive direction from an overseas [Islamic State] member, planned to commit an armed attack against civilians at a restaurant/bar located in the Rochester, New York, area”.

As a result of the foiled plot, the city of Rochester canceled its New Year’s Eve celebration.

During those conversations, the ex-convict expressed strong support of IS and a desire to join the terror organisation in Syria, according to a criminal complaint.

Lutchman was arrested on Wednesday after recording a video on his mobile phone pledging fealty to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He pleaded guilty December 17 to attempting to support a terrorist organization. Lutchman had no money, so the informant paid $40 for the items, according to a complaint filed in federal court.

In an interview on Time Warner Cable News, Cuomo said the arrest was part of a “new normal”. This is the second ISIS-related arrest in Rochester in recent months. He also discussed doing assassinations and using a pressure cooker bomb and in one of the meetings with the cooperating individual, Lutchman said he wanted to target a club or bar where they “sneak” a bomb, “kidnap a couple of people and kill them”.

“This New Year’s Eve prosecution underscores the threat of ISIL even in upstate NY but demonstrates our determination to immediately stop any who would cause harm in its name”, said William Hochul Jr., the US attorney for the Western District of NY.