Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 17 February 2017

FBI: White supremacist talked of Dylann Roof-type attack

JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press felon in possession of a fire- to destroy white man and
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — arm. The gun he was sold they feast on the drugs.
A white supremacist with had its firing pin filed down they should be Feasting on
felony convictions in South so it could not be used, the enemy that stole their
Carolina bought a gun Lowe wrote. Heritage and their blood-
from an undercover FBI McDowell is being held in line and trying to run us off
agent, telling the agent he the Horry County jail. Court of this Earth,” McDowell
planned an attack in “the records did not list an attor- wrote. “if you ain’t got the
spirit of Dylann Roof,” au- ney, and no one respond- heart to fight for Yahweh
thorities said Thursday. ed to a message left at the like dylann roof did, you
Benjamin McDowell, 29, phone number listed for his need to shut the f--- up.”
was arrested in Myrtle mother’s address. Roof was sentenced to
Beach shortly after buying Authorities began inves- death in January on federal
the .40-caliber Glock and tigating McDowell in De- hate-crime charges for kill-
ammunition for $109 from cember after he threat- ing nine black worshippers
the agent who picked him ened a synagogue on at Emanuel AME church in
up at his mother’s house, Facebook. Horry County Charleston in 2015.
then took him to his grand- Police had kept track of McDowell also wrote he
father’s house to get the McDowell since his release would like to buy a gun,
money, FBI agent Grant from prison on felony bur- which got the undercov-
Lowe wrote in an affidavit. glary charges a few years er agent involved, Lowe
McDowell didn’t have a ago because he made wrote. McDowell wanted
specific target in mind, connections with white su- to commit the attack out-
once telling the under- premacists while behind side of Horry County and
cover agent he might just bars, according to the af- get away without being
shoot at a party of black fidavit. Several days after caught, but didn’t give
people, Lowe wrote. This police booking photo released Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017 by the threat, McDowell post- a specific time or place,
“I got the heart to do that the Horry County Police Department in Conway, S.C., shows ed on Facebook again, Lowe wrote.
s---, but I don’t have the Benjamin McDowell. McDowell is charged with being a felon saying fellow white su- Court records show that
good training,” McDowell in possession of a firearm. According to a sworn FBI statement, premacists were all talk and since 2008, McDowell has
said, according to the un- agents began investigating McDowell after he threatened a no action. “All they wanne several convictions for bur-
dercover agent. synagogue on Facebook and told an undercover agent he (sic) do is stay loaded on glary and a conviction for
McDowell is charged as a wanted to commit an attack in the “spirit of Dylann Roof.” drugs the Jews put here assault.q
(Horry County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

Lawyer: Florida airport shooting suspect mentally competent

CURT ANDERSON after he was arrested in can be profoundly mental- a series of questions about box in checked luggage.
AP Legal Affairs Writer the Jan. 6 shooting at Fort ly ill, including schizophren- whether he understood After landing he retrieved
MIAMI (AP) — An Alaska Lauderdale-Hollywood In- ic, and be competent.” the 22-count indictment the weapon, authorities
man accused of killing five ternational Airport, authori- Bloom initially said she against him, whether he say, loaded it in an airport
people and wounding six ties said. wanted to order a full psy- knew how the death pen- bathroom and came out
in a shooting rampage at Defense attorneys Hector chiatric evaluation for San- alty decision would be firing in a baggage claim
a major Florida airport is Dopico and Eric Cohen, tiago but decided to wait made and whether he area.
competent to proceed however, told U.S. District after Dopico asked for time was satisfied with his law- He was arrested after ex-
with his court case despite Judge Beth Bloom at a to obtain records of his yers. He calmly answered hausting his ammunition.
indications of mental illness, hearing that Santiago un- previous treatment and his “yes” to each of these and The FBI has said he initially
his attorneys told a judge derstands court proceed- behavior while in a differ- said “no” when asked if he told them he acted under
Thursday. ings, comprehends the ent jail following his Florida objected to delays in the government mind control,
Esteban Santiago, 26, was charges against him and arrest. The issue of mental case. then claimed he was in-
treated briefly before the is able to assist in prepar- competence could play a Trial is currently scheduled spired by the Islamic State
shooting at an Anchorage, ing a defense. They also key role in whether the Jus- to begin Oct. 2 in Miami. extremist group. Investiga-
Alaska, psychiatric facility said he is taking psychiatric tice Department decides Another hearing on the tors have found no links to
after showing up at an FBI medicine in jail for an undis- to seek the death penalty competency issue is set for terrorists and Santiago is not
office and telling agents closed mental condition. against Santiago. March 15. facing any terror-related
he was hearing voices and “We have met with him “I want to ensure the court According to the indict- charges. The FBI also says
was under CIA mind con- hours upon hours. We do is satisfied he is compe- ment, Santiago flew from Santiago confessed fully to
trol. He made similar state- not have a concern at this tent,” Bloom said. Alaska to Fort Lauderdale the shootings in video and
ments about mind control time,” Dopico said. “One The judge asked Santiago with a 9 mm handgun in a audio recordings.q