12:40 PM CST
A 22-year-old Rockford man has been charged with plotting to set off hand grenades in an alleged terror attack at a popular Rockford mall during the busy holiday season, federal authorities announced today.
Derrick Shareef, of Rockford, has been charged with attempting to maliciously damage and destroy a building and to use a weapon of mass destruction against persons or property in the U.S., federal authorities said.
According to an FBI affidavit, Shareef met with an undercover federal agent in a Rockford area parking lot to trade stereo speakers for a handgun and four hand grenades that he intended to use at the CherryVale shopping mall at 7200 Harrison Ave., just off the junction of Interstate Highways 90 and 39 in the city.
The mall, with about 130 retail stores, was one of several potential targets, which also included courthouses, city hall and several government buildings, the complaint alleges. Sources said there was no imminent threat from the attack, describing it as more of a hopeful plan.
Shareef also allegedly told an acquaintance who actually was cooperating with the FBI that he wanted to commit acts of "violent jihad" against civilians.
Shareef told an undercover informant that he wanted to attack a courthouse in DeKalb County and "smoke a judge," according to the complaint.
"[T]he courthouse in DeKalb where I be going every month …You go in there and you clock the first three [guards] at the door that they got, and you up in there, you know what I'm saying…I just want to smoke a judge," the complaint quoted Shareef as saying.
The informant then asked Shareef when he wanted to stage the attack.
"What do you think? I like the holiday season," the complaint quotes him as saying.
" ... "[T]he courthouse in DeKalb where I be going every month … ..."
Definitely a foreigner who hasn't learned English yet.
Yes and thank you Starwise.