Teen Held Over Alleged Plot to Attack Hindu Temple Near Chicago; Rifle Jammed, Police Sayਸ਼ਿਕਾਗੋ ਨੇੜੇ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੰਦਰ ਉੱਤੇ ਹਮਲੇ ਦੀ ਕਥਿਤ ਸਾਜ਼ਿਸ਼ ਵਿੱਚ 19 ਸਾਲਾ ਨੌਜਵਾਨ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ

A 19-year-old man from Palatine, Illinois, has been charged over an alleged plot to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Aurora, near Chicago, in a case that police say was foiled by a tip from the man's co-worker.

Alexandros Paporakis was arrested outside his home in Palatine on Sunday after the co-worker contacted police. Prosecutors say that in a phone call earlier that day, Paporakis told the co-worker he had gone to a Hindu temple in Aurora on Saturday, tried to open fire, and fled after his rifle jammed.

What police say happened

The co-worker passed the information to police in Mount Prospect, who alerted the Palatine police department. Officers arrested Paporakis as he was leaving his home on Sunday afternoon, a day detectives believe he may have been planning to act. He has been charged with making a terrorist threat, a Class X felony, and unlawful possession of weapons, a Class 3 felony linked to a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches.

Paporakis appeared at the Cook County court in Rolling Meadows on Wednesday, where a judge ordered him detained. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 30. The charges are allegations at this stage, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Rifle, body armour and a manifesto seized

A search of Paporakis's home found a rifle, loaded magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition and body armour bearing white supremacist extremist designs, Palatine Police Chief William Nord said. Investigators say the rifle was an AR-style weapon without a serial number.

Prosecutors say Paporakis sent the co-worker a photograph of himself in a tactical vest along with an eight-page document titled "Why I Fought: A.K.A. (Aurora Shooter's Manifesto)". Court documents describe the document as filled with racist outbursts against people of Indian descent and a Hindu temple, and prosecutors say it also targeted Jewish and African American communities. Co-workers told investigators that Paporakis, who worked as a cashier at a Taco Bell restaurant in Arlington Heights for about seven months, openly identified as a white supremacist and had said he could not wait to kill Indian people.

Temples alerted as FBI assists the probe

Investigators believe Paporakis planned to target the largest Hindu temple in Aurora, though the exact intended location remains under investigation. Police have notified the three temples in Aurora about the threat, and the FBI's Chicago field office is assisting local authorities. Officials say there is no known ongoing threat to the public.

"The seriousness of this alleged threat cannot be overstated," Chief Nord said, adding that protecting places of worship is a law enforcement priority. The case has caused serious concern among the Indian community in Aurora, Naperville, Schaumburg and Palatine, home to one of the largest South Asian populations in the American Midwest.

Who is the accused and what is he charged with?

The accused is Alexandros Paporakis, 19, of Palatine, Illinois. He faces felony charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons, and has been ordered detained until his next court date on October 30.

How was the alleged plot discovered?

Police say a co-worker at the fast-food restaurant where Paporakis worked contacted them after he allegedly described trying to open fire at a temple and shared a manifesto. Mount Prospect police passed the tip to Palatine police, who made the arrest on Sunday.

Is there still a threat to temples in the area?

Authorities say there is no known ongoing threat. Police have notified temples in Aurora about the case, and the FBI is assisting the investigation into whether further charges are warranted.