The FBI have arrested a man in Las Vegas who they say was plotting attacks against the LGBT+ and Jewish communities.
Conor Climo, who officials say worked as a security guard, was arrested on August 8 by an FBI-led anti-terrorism task force.
Authorities said Climo, 23, plotted to bomb a synagogue or an LGBT+ bar.
A search of his house found hand-drawn schematics and parts of an explosive device, according to the criminal complaint, including flammable liquids, oxidising agents and circuit boards.
Officials also confiscated an AR-15 assault-style weapon and a bolt-action rifle.
Court documents say that in 2016, Climo made the news for patrolling his neighbourhood wearing body armour and carrying an assault rifle. Nevada has open-carry gun laws, which meant that as long as he stayed away from restricted zones like schools his actions were legal, police said at the time .
The criminal charge against Climo accuses him of possessing the parts of a bomb.
Nicholas Trutanich, the prosecutor, said in a statement, "Threats of violence motivated by hate and intended to intimidate or coerce our faith-based and LGBTQ communities have no place in this country."
Court documents say Climo communicated with members of the neo-Nazi group the National Sociality Movement via encrypted online messages, and recently told an FBI informant that he was scouting out places to attack.
Trutanich said Climo was arrested following a probe that involved at least one undercover online contact and an FBI confidential informant who reported that Climo "discussed, in detail, how to build a 'self-contained Molotov' incendiary device."
Las Vegas security guard regularly used anti-Semitic and anti-LGBT slurs
"Climo would regularly use derogatory racial, anti-Semitic and homosexual slurs," the US attorney's office statement said.
"He discussed attacking a Las Vegas synagogue and making Molotov Cocktails and improvised explosive devices, and he also discussed conducting surveillance on a bar he believed catered to the LGBTQ community."
JoDee Winterhof, senior vice president of policy and political affairs at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), said in a statement , “We are extremely alarmed to hear that Conor Climo, who was arrested last night in Las Vegas, was allegedly planning to attack a synagogue & LGBTQ bar.”
“While Climo's actions are concerning, they are not in a vacuum. Dangerous and hateful rhetoric start at the top levels of government and heavily influence the rest of American society.
"Each and every day, the Trump-Pence administration has sought to dehumanise LGBTQ people, undermine our rights and treat us like second class citizens. The LGBTQ community is under attack, and the Trump-Pence administration is fuelling the flames.”
US magistrate Judge Nancy Koppe on August 9 ordered that Climo would remain in federal custody pending an August 23 court appearance on a federal firearms charge, according to NBC Los Angeles .
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