The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) today welcomed a terror charge for a Virginia white supremacist facing terrorism charges for allegedly threatening to “kill Muslims” at a mosque in Michigan.
Macin Horstemeyer, 32, is being held without bond at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail for allegedly threatening the public, making threats online, soliciting terrorism and conspiring to commit an act of terrorism.
According to local media: “Officers said he told them if he did carry out an attack, he would target a mosque in Dearborn, Michigan, with an AR-15.
“Investigators said he started making threats on YouTube videos relating to murdering black people and folks who practice Islam. This started in February and continued for months, eventually causing Google to notify the FBI.
“Investigators also noted that in the comments, he seemed to idolize Dylann Roof, who shot up a church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.
“When officers questioned Horstemeyer about his activity online, he told them watching recent videos about Islamic terrorist attacks made him upset, and it was only thoughts he had in his head.
“He also said that while not affiliated with any specific group, he does believe in white supremacy.”
In a statement, CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid said:
“We welcome the terrorism charges brought against this individual who allegedly posed a threat to our community. This case highlights the growing danger of white supremacist violence and the urgent need for continued vigilance and accountability.
“The Muslim community in Dearborn and across the country deserves to worship in peace without fear of being targeted for their faith. We are grateful to the law enforcement agencies that took these threats seriously.
“We urge law enforcement and elected officials to continue to address the rising tide of domestic extremism with the same seriousness they would apply to any other form of terrorism.”
He noted that today CAIR’s Minnesota chapter is calling for an investigation of a possible bias motive for a fire at Al Hikma Mosque in Minneapolis.
Walid urged community leaders to increase security protocols for all mosques and Islamic institutions.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR offers a “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to all houses of worship.
END
CONTACT: CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248-842-1418, dwalid@cair.com; CAIR Lead Staff Attorney Amy Doukoure, 586-943-8823, adoukoure@cair.com; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com