Another Man Connected to Boston Terror Plot Arrested, Police Say
BOSTON, June 12 (UPI) — Authorities said they have identified a third man linked to a supposed terror plot to kill Boston police officers hatched by Usaama Rahim, officials said Thursday.
FBI agents arrested Nicholas Rovinski, 24, in Rhode Island Thursday evening, in connection to the case. However, it wasn’t immediately revealed why agents took him into custody or what his alleged role in the plot may have been, as the charges against him are sealed.
Authorities said investigators had searched Rovinski’s home on a prior occasion but did not arrest him at that time.
Rovinski is allegedly connected to 26-year-old Usaama Rahim, who police believe plotted a terror attack against law enforcement officers. He was shot to death by authorities last week after being confronted in a pharmacy parking lot in Boston.
Officials said they decided to question Rahim after they became more increasingly alarmed regarding what he may have been plotting.
“He was someone we were watching for quite a time,” Boston Police CommissionerWilliam B. Evans said. “The level of alarm brought us to question him today. I don’t think anybody expected the reaction we got out of him.”
Officials said Rahim was shot because he brandished a large knife and threatened officers with it. Under federal surveillance for two years, Rahim supposedly plotted first to behead Pamela Geller — the head of an anti-Islam group who organized a “Draw Muhammad” contest in Texas last month that offended some Muslims. He later ditched that plan to kill officers instead, police believe.
A second man, identified as David Wright, was also arrested and charged in the conspiracy. According to authorities, Wright said Rahim moved his sights from Geller to police officers because he wanted to launch his terror attack as soon as possible.
Investigators said Rahim’s cop-killing plot was supposed to begin sometime in the middle of last week, but he was killed before the plan could be executed.
Officials did not disclose Rovinski’s relationship with Rahim and Wright, but said the complaint against him will be made public before the end of the week.
