Arizona Man Accused of Plotting Attack on Religious Site
Matthew Bjornholt, 27, faces a felony count of making a terrorist threat in Maricopa County after prosecutors accused him of planning a mass casualty attack on a Jewish or Muslim house of worship, Fox News reported. Prosecutors stated that Bjornholt possessed an infamous bomb-making manual linked to the Oklahoma City bomber and laid out a blueprint involving firearms, explosives, and an accomplice tasked with shooting survivors.
During an initial court appearance on Friday, Maricopa County prosecutor Stephen Garcia sought a $500,000 cash bond. Garcia described Bjornholt as an imminent danger to the community, according to FOX 10 coverage cited by Fox News. Prosecutors alleged that Bjornholt kept a copy of “The Anarchist Cookbook,” which contains bomb-making instructions linked to Timothy McVeigh, and referred to the manual as his Bible.
Defense Argues Charges Stem from Unverified Hearsay
Defense attorney Chad Schell pushed back against the allegations during the court hearing. Schell told the court that the charges rely entirely on unverified hearsay from a disgruntled acquaintance whom Bjornholt had briefly allowed to sleep on his couch before kicking him out late last month, Fox News reported.
Schell informed the judge that federal authorities had already investigated the claims weeks earlier. According to the defense, the FBI executed a search warrant at Bjornholt’s home on Sept. 29. Schell stated that Bjornholt voluntarily handed over his electronic devices and passwords to investigators, who found no evidence of terrorism or bomb-making materials before federal authorities closed their involvement and county officials took over the case.
“There is no evidence he’s a danger to the community. What is the evidence that he’s a danger to the community? Some hearsay statements from some dude — that my client kicked out of his house two days before September 29,” Schell told the court, as reported by Fox News. Schell also argued that three seized guns were lawfully possessed because Bjornholt’s civil rights were restored after completing a prior sentence on a drug charge stemming from a closed first-degree murder case that was dropped due to a lack of evidence.
Court Sets Bond While Specific Targets Remain Unclear
Despite prosecutors citing Bjornholt’s criminal history to justify a larger bond, the judge ruled that the state’s preliminary evidence relied heavily on hearsay. The judge set Bjornholt’s bond at $100,000 while finding sufficient probable cause to move the case forward, Fox News reported.
Authorities have not yet clarified whether specific houses of worship were targeted in the alleged plot or whether a specific accomplice exists. Fox News Digital reached out to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and FBI Phoenix for comment.
Upcoming Court Dates and Schedule
Bjornholt is scheduled to return to court on Oct. 22 for a status conference, followed by a preliminary hearing on Oct. 26, according to Fox News.
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