Arizona Man Accused of Planning Attack on Religious Site

A man from Arizona, Matthew Bjornholt, is facing serious allegations of plotting a large-scale attack on either a Jewish or Muslim place of worship. Prosecutors have claimed that he was in possession of a notorious bomb-making manual tied to the Oklahoma City bombing.

At 27 years old, Bjornholt is charged with making a terrorist threat related to his alleged plans against a religious organization. Authorities in Maricopa County have described his proposed attack as particularly disturbing, involving firearms, explosives, and a plan for an accomplice to shoot at any survivors.

During a court hearing on Friday, prosecutor Stephen Garcia requested a cash bond of $500,000, asserting that Bjornholt poses an immediate threat to the public, as reported by FOX 10. Garcia alleged that Bjornholt had meticulously planned an assault on a religious site and even kept a copy of “The Anarchist Cookbook,” a controversial guide that includes instructions for making explosives and has been connected to Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber.

Garcia stated that Bjornholt referred to this book as his “Bible.”

The prosecution outlined that the plan included detonating bombs before the accomplice would begin shooting at others. Authorities also reported recovering three firearms and ammunition from Bjornholt’s residence.

In his defense, attorney Chad Schell argued against the claims, suggesting that the accusations were based on unreliable hearsay from a former acquaintance who was reportedly disgruntled. Schell told the court that this individual was a “homeless alcoholic” who had briefly stayed at Bjornholt’s home before being asked to leave.

Schell mentioned that federal authorities had looked into these allegations just weeks prior. He noted that the FBI executed a search warrant at Bjornholt’s home on September 29 and that Bjornholt cooperated by giving them access to his electronic devices and associated passwords.

According to Schell, the FBI did not find any evidence of terrorism or bomb-making materials during their investigation and subsequently did not file federal charges before the case was handed over to local authorities.

“What evidence is there that he’s a danger to the community? Just hearsay from a guy my client kicked out two days before September 29,” Schell asserted in court.

He added that the firearms taken from the home were legally owned and pointed out that Bjornholt had his civil rights reinstated after serving time on a previous drug charge linked to a old murder case that lacked sufficient evidence for prosecution.

Schell described the seized ammunition as nothing more than standard loads found in magazines.

Despite the prosecutor’s emphasis on Bjornholt’s criminal record to support a higher bond, the judge found that the evidence presented was largely based on hearsay and set the bond at $100,000. Nonetheless, the judge acknowledged sufficient probable cause to advance the case.

It remains uncertain if there were specific religious sites targeted or if an accomplice was confirmed in the alleged plan.

Bjornholt is expected back in court on October 22 for a status conference, followed by a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 26.