Police found an explosive device Sunday in the home of a 55-year-old Richmond, California man who allegedly threatened to harm the local Muslim community, according to a local report.
Police evacuated William Celli’s neighborhood when they found a device at his home on Sunday and detonated it, Bay Area TV station KPIX reported. Celli was arrested and booked into county jail on Sunday afternoon, according to the report.
KPIX reported a tipster told police Thursday that a man was making devices and threatening to harm Muslims. But while law enforcement said Celli’s statements attracted their attention, police wouldn’t elaborate on the threats, according to the report.
“We thank law enforcement authorities for their swift action and we will monitor this alleged case of domestic terrorism closely as it moves through the legal system,” said Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Celli frequently posted on Facebook, where he appeared to align himself with Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. In October, Celli wrote: “I’ll follow this MAN to the end of the world.”
Celli also posted: “Donald Trump’s on again I’m feeling good about myself.”
He’s also posted about undocumented immigrants who have “invaded” America and wrote that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is turning Canada into “A LEFT WING POT SMOKIN WELFARE STATE (sic)”.
This wouldn’t be the first time an apparent Trump supporter allegedly committed a hate crime. In August, two Boston men cited Trump’s anti-immigrant campaign rhetoric when explaining to police why they beat up and urinated on a homeless man. The candidate initially called those followers “passionate” before condemning their crime in stronger terms.
