A 28-year-old man named Mark Lorenzo Villanueva from Long Beach, California, has been arrested by federal authorities. They believe he built what looked like a homemade bomb inside his house and sent money to people he thought were fighters for ISIS. Villanueva is originally from the Philippines but is a legal resident of the United States. FBI agents went to his home early Friday morning and took him into custody.
According to the investigators, Villanueva had been chatting online where he expressed support for ISIS. He also said he wanted to carry out violent acts himself. In addition to these claims, he sent money to people abroad whom he believed were ISIS members. This raised serious concerns for law enforcement.
When FBI agents searched his bedroom, they found what they described as an improvised explosive device. It had wires, was wrapped in plastic, and was filled with small metal pieces like ball bearings. Several knives were also found.
Villanueva’s neighbours were shocked. One neighbour, Heliodoro Becerra, said they had no idea anything like this was happening. He told KTLA that it’s scary because you live near someone and never really know what they’re doing inside their home.
Officials say the arrest was made by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. The investigation is still going on as they look into what Villanueva may have been planning.