Coeur d’Alene man pleads guilty to plotting ISIS attack on local churches

A Coeur d’Alene man has pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Alexander Scott Mercurio, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, has pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, according to U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis.

Court records reveal that Mercurio pledged allegiance to ISIS and intended to carry out an attack in Coeur d’Alene on its behalf. In early 2023, he created an online repository for pro-ISIS content to spread the Islamic State’s doctrine. Although he wanted to travel overseas to support ISIS, he lacked the resources and instead planned a terrorist attack within the United States.

Mercurio targeted churches in Coeur d’Alene for an attack on April 7, 2024, using various weapons. He purchased items to support his plan and, days before the attack, stood before an ISIS flag holding a knife, pledging allegiance to ISIS. The FBI arrested him on April 6, 2024, one day before the planned attack.

Read more: CBS 2 Idaho