ARIZONA NEWS

Teen arrested for allegedly plotting terrorist attack on Phoenix Pride festival

Oct 23, 2024, 12:35 PM | Updated: 2:00 pm

Marvin Jalo, 17, will be tried as an adult for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on the 2024 Ph...

Marvin Jalo, 17, will be tried as an adult for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on the 2024 Phoenix Pride festival. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)

(Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Photo)

PHOENIX – A teenager faces felony terrorism charges for allegedly plotting to bomb last weekend’s Phoenix Pride festival, authorities announced Wednesday.

Marvin Jalo, 17, will be tried as an adult, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO).

A grand jury indicted Jalo last week on one count each of terrorism and conspiracy to commit terrorism. He is being held on a $1 million bond.

According to the indictment, he was part of an Islamic State-inspired plot to bomb the annual LGBTQ+ celebration in downtown Phoenix.

How did authorities learn about alleged Phoenix Pride plot?

A call from a family member related to other concerns put authorities on the suspect’s trail, according to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.

“The family member was concerned that he had been radicalized and was planning something,” Mitchell told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “And that led to a greater investigation, which revealed that he had not only talked about building an improvised explosive device, but had collected ingredients necessary to do that.”

Jalo allegedly discussed his plans in online chat rooms from November 2023 to May 2024. Prosecutors said he acquired the supplies needed to build a potentially lethal bomb that can propel shrapnel into a crowd. He allegedly intended to detonate the device during the festival.

MCAO’s Investigations Unit worked with the FBI Phoenix Field Office and the Buckeye and Glendale police departments on the case.

Mitchell said the public shouldn’t hesitate to notify law enforcement about suspicious behavior.

“It’s vital that people actually take this very seriously and report it to the authorities,” Mitchell said. “Had that not happened here, I don’t know what would have happened.”

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kate Ourada contributed to this report.

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Teen arrested for allegedly plotting terrorist attack on Phoenix Pride festival