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Man accused of ISIS-inspired plot to attack Detroit church

Posted at 2:06 PM, Feb 06, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-06 14:06:40-05

DETROIT (AP) — Authorities have arrested a 21-year-old Michigan man whom they accuse of supporting Islamic State militants and plotting to attack a Detroit church.

Khalil Abu-Rayyan (Courtesy: FOX 2)

Khalil Abu-Rayyan (Courtesy: FOX 2)

Khalil Abu-Rayyan, of Dearborn Heights, appeared Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit and is jailed pending a Monday hearing. He hasn’t been charged with terrorism-related crimes but has been investigated since May and faces marijuana and gun charges.

U.S. attorney’s office spokesman Gina Balaya said Saturday that Abu-Rayyan will have a court-appointed attorney at the hearing but she doesn’t know who it is.

Balaya says Abu-Rayyan had been under constant FBI surveillance recently due to growing concern about threats he made against the church, police officers and others in support of IS. Authorities say Abu-Rayyan had been communicating with an undercover agent.