Ex-Marine held over San Francisco Christmas attack plot: FBI

Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson was planning to target the city's busy Pier 39 tourist spot, according to an affidavit submitted by the FBI.

Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target San Francisco's busy Pier 39 tourist spot.
AFP

Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target San Francisco's busy Pier 39 tourist spot.

Federal agents arrested a former US Marine on Friday for allegedly plotting a Christmas attack in San Francisco inspired by Daesh, according to court documents.

Tow truck driver Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was planning to target the city's busy Pier 39 tourist spot, according to an affidavit submitted by FBI Special Agent Christopher McKinney.

The suspect is said to have outlined to undercover agents how he wanted to use explosives to target crowds at the pier between December 18 and 25 because "Christmas was the perfect day to commit the attack."

Jameson professed not to need an escape plan as he was "ready to die," according to the document.

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The suspect's home in Modesto, California, was raided by FBI agents on Wednesday, where they allegedly found his last will and testament along with weapons and ammunition.

Jameson attended basic training with the Marine Corps in 2009 and graduated with a "sharpshooter" rifle qualification, according to the FBI, but was discharged after failing to disclose a history of asthma.

According to McKinney, Jameson selected Pier 39 -- which gets around 10 million visitors a year -- because "he had been there before and knew it was a heavily crowded area."

'Radical beliefs'

"Jameson explained that he also desired to use explosives and described a plan in which explosives could 'tunnel' or 'funnel' people into a location where Jameson could inflict casualties," McKinney stated.

The suspect inadvertently revealed his plans to an undercover FBI agent he believed to be a senior leader Daesh, according to the court document.

Jameson said the US needed "another attack like New York or San Bernardino," adding that he wanted to use vehicles and firearms to carry out an attack.

According to the criminal complaint, Jameson "has espoused radical beliefs, including authoring social media posts that are supportive of terrorism."

He was charged in the Eastern District Court of California with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

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