Man Charged with Trying to Bomb Federal Courthouse in Illinois
A part-time restaurant cook is in custody in Illinois, charged with allegedly planning to bomb a federal courthouse in Springfield and kill employees in the building.
Authorities say Michael Finton, 29, was arrested yesterday at the Paul Findley Federal Office Building and Courthouse. He was taken into custody immediately after he allegedly parked a van he thought contained explosives in front of the facility, got into another vehicle driven by an undercover federal agent and made a cell phone call in an attempt to detonate the van, according to the State Journal-Register and the Associated Press.
A federal affidavit says the Findley building was Finton’s primary target and his secondary target allegedly was the nearby office of U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Peoria), in downtown Springfield. If convicted of the charges against him, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
A link to the federal criminal complaint against him is provided by the Chicago Tribune.
The Federal Bureau began investigating Finton, who converted to Islam during a prison stint, based on a tip from his parole officer, the Tribune reports.
Finton, who is also known as Talib Islam, reportedly waived a detention hearing. The articles don’t include any comment from him or his lawyers.
Updated at 4:45 p.m. to link to Chicago Tribune coverage.
