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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 24 OcTOber 2017
FBI: Florida man sympathized with IS, wanted to bomb mall

self as a sympathizer of has had only minor brushes davit whether Solano had
the Islamic State extremist with the law, most recently any links to any foreign ter-
group faces terrorism-relat- in 2014 and 2015 for driving rorist groups. At one point,
ed charges stemming from with a suspended license. he told the confidential
a purported plot to bomb a That document noted he informant he had not dis-
Miami-area shopping mall, had no prior felony record. cussed his plot with anyone
according to court docu- The FBI began investigat- else.
ments filed Monday. ing Solano in late Septem- His plans started to come
Vicente Adolfo Solano, 53, ber after a confidential in- together in October when
appeared at a brief hear- formant tipped agents off the confidential informant
ing Monday afternoon on about his plans, the affida- introduced Solano to an
a charge of attempting vit said. Most of the subse- undercover FBI employee
to use a weapon of mass quent conversations were who could supposedly help
destruction at the Dolphin recorded. Investigators build a bomb. Solano pro-
Mall west of Miami. Solano also found three pro-Islam- vided a sketch of the food
was arrested Friday after ic State videos that Solano court at the mall, which
accepting a fake bomb allegedly sent to the confi- he thought would be most
provided by the FBI outside dential informant. crowded, according to the
the mall, according to an “I am here because I like FBI.“It’s easy because look
FBI affidavit. the way (Islamic State) ... I go in, I sit down, I leave
U.S. Magistrate Judge Chris confronts the United States it and goodbye. I leave it.
McAliley said she will ap- and the countries of the I won’t have a problem
point a public defender to coalition,” Solano allegedly with that,” Solano said in
represent Solano, who is said in one video, wearing one conversation record-
being held without bail. A a black mask and shirt and ed by the FBI.After buying
bond hearing is set Thurs- standing in front of black screws and other materials
day and Assistant U.S. At- flag. “The United States is to build the bomb, Solano
In this Dec. 23, 2013, photo, Vicente Solano is shown. Sola- torney Karen Gilbert said the most terrorist country met with the two under-
no, who described himself as a sympathizer of the Islamic the government wants him of all. I am going to plant a cover FBI men at a hotel
State extremist group, faces terrorism-related charges kept behind bars until trial bomb ... that’s how it’s go- to put it together. Then the
stemming from a purported plot to bomb a Miami-area as a risk of flight and dan- ing to be done.” three of them drove over
shopping mall, according to court documents filed Mon- ger to the community. In a second video, Solano to the mall, where “Solano
day, Oct. 23, 2017, in Miami. Solano told the judge he said he is a “sympathizer took steps that he believed
(Miami-Dade CD via AP) works as a painter earning of the Islamic group, ISIS” would arm the device and
$13 an hour. No relatives using another acronym for the timer to count down”
By CURT ANDERSON MIAMI (AP) — A Florida appeared at the hearing. the Islamic State. on the fake bomb, the af-
AP Legal Affairs Writer man who described him- Court records show Solano It’s not clear from the affi- fidavit said.q

Officials report church shooting
suspect noted ‘visions,’ ‘voices’

By JONATHAN MATTISE Jolley also acknowledged
Associated Press that a note found in Sam-
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — son’s car made reference
The man accused of fatally to a white supremacist’s
shooting a woman and 2015 massacre at a South
wounding six other people Carolina black church, a
at a Tennessee church last detail that The Associated
month told police he heard Press first reported.
voices and had visions, in- The note found on the
cluding an image of that dashboard read something
particular church, a detec- like, “Dylann Roof was less
tive testified in court Mon- than nothing,” Jolley said.
day. “It was really kind of just
Nashville Police Detective vague,” Jolley said.
Steve Jolley said 25-year- All of the victims in Nash-
old Emanuel Kidega Sam- ville were white, but it’s still
son wouldn’t say much else not clear whether Samson
about his vision of Burnette specifically targeted them
Chapel Church of Christ, based on their race.
when pressed by police Jolley said Samson down-
during an interview. played the role of race to
“He was just very vague detectives.
and he didn’t really elabo- “I asked him specifically
rate on anything,” Jolley and he said that he didn’t
said at a hearing in David- give much thought to
son County General Ses- race,” Jolley said. “I think
sions Court. he also said the same thing
A judge sent Samson’s about religion.
case to a grand jury Mon- So he didn’t indicate to me
day. Samson didn’t ap- any particular thing for mo-
pear for the hearing. tivation.” q