The FBI says that it believes it interrupted a terror plot after invading the mobile home of 24-year-old Buford Rogers in a small western Minnesota city. Upon his arrest, authorities discovered Molotov cocktails, suspected pipe bombs and firearms inside of his home, FBI officials announced Monday.
Officials believe Rogers was planning the attack in his hometown of Montevideo, a city of about 5,000 people, about 130 miles west of Minneapolis. He was arrested Friday and charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He remained in federal custody Monday.
"The FBI believed there was a terror attack in its planning stages, and we believe there would have been a localized terror attack, and that's why law enforcement moved quickly to execute the search warrant on Friday to arrest Mr. Rogers," FBI spokesman Kyle Loven.
Rogers appeared in court Monday where he was ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Tony Leung to be held pending a detention hearing Wednesday, citing "serious concerns" raised in the criminal complaint.
"This is a very active investigation," he said. He added that at this point authorities are "looking at this from a domestic terrorism standpoint."
Loven declined to give details on whether Rogers was believed to be acting alone or as part of a group. Due to the pending investigation, he was also prohibited him from elaborating about Rogers' possible political or religious views.
"We had information which indicated that Mr. Rogers was involved in a plot to conduct terror activities in and around the Montevideo area," he said.
The FBI said it believed "the lives of several local residents were potentially saved" by the search and arrest, and said "several guns and explosive devices were discovered."
The terror plot was discovered through analysis of intelligence gathered by local, state and federal authorities.
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