An Arizona man has been accused of instigating a “terrorist attack motivated by religion” that resulted in the deaths of two officers and a bystander in Australia.
Authorities announced on Wednesday that a United States resident was arrested in Arizona for making internet remarks that are believed to have encouraged a religiously motivated terrorist assault in Australia, resulting in the death of six individuals last year.
According to investigators, Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, two police officers from Queensland state, as well as an innocent bystander named Alan Dare, were tragically killed by Gareth Train, his brother Nathaniel Train, and Nathaniel’s wife Stacey Train in an unexpected attack at the Trains’ isolated property in the rural town of Wieambilla on December 12th of last year.
Four law enforcement officials had arrived at the location to look into reports of a person who was reported missing. According to authorities, they were met with a barrage of gunshots upon arrival. Fortunately, two of the officers were able to flee and call for backup.
During a six-hour standoff, law enforcement fatally shot three individuals known as conspiracy theorists, referred to as the Trains.
According to investigators, the incident was deliberate and involved “extensive planning and preparation” targeting law enforcement.
According to the BBC, the property was equipped with concealed shelters, obstacles, firearms, blades, surveillance cameras, and reflective surfaces installed on trees.
Law enforcement officials took a 58-year-old individual into custody in the vicinity of Heber Overgaard, Arizona, in the past week. Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Scanlon shared at a press conference in Brisbane, alongside FBI legal attaché for Australia Nitiana Mann, that the man was charged in the United States for allegedly instigating violence through his online comments in December. The suspect’s identity has not been disclosed by the police.
According to CBS affiliate KPHO-TV, a search warrant was carried out at the Heber Overgaard property as part of the ongoing investigation.
On Tuesday, the accused was detained in jail after appearing in an Arizona courtroom. If found guilty, he could possibly be sentenced to five years in prison.
According to Scanlon, the perpetrators carried out a terrorist attack in Queensland based on religious beliefs, specifically an extremist Christian ideology. We are aware of this information about the Trains.
According to the BBC, authorities have stated that this is the first instance of an extreme Christian ideology being connected to a terrorist attack in Australia.
The FBI is currently looking into the suspected reasons behind the actions of the American individual. Law enforcement officials from Queensland traveled to Arizona to assist with the investigation.
According to Scanlon, the assault entailed strategic forethought and readiness aimed at law enforcement.
In May 2020, Gareth Train started subscribing to the suspect’s YouTube channel. After a year, they began communicating with each other directly.
Scanlon stated that the man consistently sent messages to Gareth and later to Stacey, which contained beliefs about the end of the world based on Christianity.
According to Mann, the FBI is dedicated to aiding the Queensland Police Service with their investigation.
Mann stated that the FBI has a strong ability to remember and a vast geographical reach, stretching from Queensland, Australia to the far reaches of Arizona.
“The FBI and QPS collaborated tirelessly to ensure this man is held accountable for his alleged crimes,” she stated.
Source: cbsnews.com