Fighting terrorism at home is a "tremendous priority," that word from U-S Attorney William Hochul who notes the region dealt with three terrorism cases in 2015, including the December 30th arrest of a 25-year-old Rochester man accused of supporting ISIL.
Hochul says Emanuel Lutchman is due in court Friday, where the defense will have an opportunity to raise any issues involving the complaint against him.
Hochul says the complaint alleges Lutchman made statements expressing his hatred for the United States and that Lutchman had been in contact with an individual who identified himself as a member of ISIL.
"The complaint then goes on to allege how Mr. Lutchman swore loyalty to this group," says Hochul. "It alleges how he picked all of these different items in which to commit various acts of conduct that he himself described that he would do. That included obviously killing people that he found at a specific bar/restaurant in the Rochester area."
Hochul says Lutchman faces charges for breaking the same laws as the "Lackawanna Six," noting it is a federal offense to try to join a terrorist organization.
