Man accused of plotting terror attack on SF’s Pier 39

Security guards walk through Pier 39 in San Francisco, Calif. on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017. FBI officials have taken a person into custody who, authorities say, was planning a terrorist attack at the popular tourist destination on Christmas Day. less Security guards walk through Pier 39 in San Francisco, Calif. on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017. FBI officials have taken a person into custody who, authorities say, was planning a terrorist attack at the popular ... more Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Buy photo Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Man accused of plotting terror attack on SF’s Pier 39 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

A 26-year-old tow truck driver from Modesto was accused Friday of planning an Islamic State-inspired terror attack over the holidays on San Francisco’s Pier 39, only to find out that his would-be partners were undercover FBI agents.

Everitt Aaron Jameson, a onetime high school wrestler who converted to Islam after being discharged from the Marines and losing custody of his two children, was charged at U.S. District Court in Sacramento with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

The FBI arrested Jameson on Wednesday while raiding his home, where agents reported finding an envelope containing a handwritten letter, dated Dec. 16, confessing he had committed the acts against non-Muslims, using a derogatory term to describe them. The agents said a second envelope held Jameson’s “last will and testament.”

“You have brought this upon yourselves,” the letter stated, according to an FBI affidavit. “We have penetrated and infiltrated your disgusting country.”

Two rifles, a pistol, ammunition and fireworks were also seized in the home. During interviews with the FBI after his arrest, Jameson “stated his support of ISIS and terrorism, and discussed aspects of the plan to carry out an attack, noting that he would be happy if an attack was carried out,” FBI Agent Christopher McKinney wrote in the affidavit.

“Jameson has espoused radical jihadi beliefs, including authoring social media posts that are supportive of terrorism, communicating with people he believes share his jihadi views and offering to provide services to such people, including in the form of his presumably employer-provided tow truck in service of the ‘cause,’” McKinney wrote.

Jameson named Pier 39 as a possible target for a terrorist attack because he “knew that it was a heavily crowded area,” and he said “Christmas was the perfect day to commit the attack,” according to the complaint.

Family members of Jameson said on Friday they were shocked to learn of the arrest. Jameson was once arrested for petty theft and was sued for child support, court records show, but has no known history of violence.

“My heart hurts; it really does,” Jameson’s father, Gordon Jameson, told Fresno television station KFSN. “It kills me to know that he would do something like that. That’s not how he was raised.”

Mitch Myers, who lived next door to Everitt Jameson in Modesto until Jameson moved about a year ago, described him as quiet and friendly. Sometimes the two men would wave at each other while doing yard work.

“That must have been before the ISIS thing,” Myers said.

San Francisco police officials were notified about the investigation in recent days and said they increased the presence of officers throughout the city. Acting Mayor London Breed, the Police Department and the FBI said they were not aware of any additional threats to the city.

“San Francisco is a city that proudly champions democracy, freedom and liberty. Sadly, that makes our home a target,” Breed said. “We will not allow the thwarted attempts of one dangerous individual to disrupt our way of life. We will remain vigilant and continue to protect our city from any threat.”

Jameson was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps for fraudulent enlistment after it was discovered he failed to disclose a latent asthma history, the FBI said. In June 2009, while in the Marines, he earned a sharpshooter rifle qualification, McKinney wrote.

On his public Facebook page, Jameson recently posted about President Trump’s decision to declare Jerusalem the capital of Israel.

“Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine,” he wrote beneath a selfie showing him wearing a traditional Muslim cap.

Another post reads, “I would rather die standing than live kneeling. If my words threaten those in power, so be it. If my pictures alarm the people, that is good. Your teeth come down. my sword goes up. I am not afraid.”

If convicted, Jameson faces up to 20 years in prison.

The FBI was tipped off to Jameson on Sept. 19 when an unnamed confidential source who had “accurately reported to the FBI on national security matters in the past” reported suspicious posts on Jameson’s Facebook account, according to the complaint. The source was ultimately paid $2,600 for his work on the case.

Jameson allegedly “liked” and “loved” pro-Islamic State and pro-terrorism posts on Facebook and told the source he was an Islam “revert” who professed his faith to the religion two years ago at a mosque in Merced.

“That is what will make me more useful,” McKinney quoted Jameson saying to the source. “I can blend in. Or shock and awe.”

Jameson allegedly wrote to the source, “I am a tow truck driver. So I can make these services available as well.” The FBI said Jameson filled out an application Nov. 3 with the Modesto Police Department to work with a local towing company that has a city contract.

Undercover agents first got involved with Jameson on social media on Dec. 11, McKinney wrote, and over the following days began discussing plans for a possible terrorist attack. Jameson was enthusiastic about the idea, according to the complaint, and said, “I can suit up and take myself to our brothers. Or whatever they need done here.”

Five days later, a second undercover FBI agent contacted Jameson, and the two met in a vehicle to discuss a terrorist attack, investigators said. Jameson was directed to sit in the front passenger seat in front of the agent, who posed as a subordinate of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, McKinney said.

Jameson at one point “stated that we need something along the lines of New York or San Bernardino,” which the FBI said was a reference to the Oct. 31 truck attack in Manhattan that killed eight people and the 2015 mass shooting in Southern California that killed 14.

When the agent told Jameson the two attacks were carried out differently, Jameson “replied that he wanted to use a combination of the two,” the complaint states.

“Jameson specifically named Pier 39 in San Francisco as a target location because he had been there before and knew that it was a heavily crowded area and that according to Jameson, no reconnaissance or site survey would be necessary,” McKinney wrote. He said Jameson intimated that “he did not have and did not need an escape plan because he was ready to die.”

As the date of the alleged attack neared, the FBI said its undercover agent contacted Jameson and asked about the “trip we are going to take for ‘Xmas.’” Jameson replied by sending images of a map of Pier 39 and photographs of the area, investigators said.

The intricate FBI sting may have been compromised on Monday when an FBI employee accidentally called Jameson from a Washington, D.C., phone number, McKinney wrote. When Jameson answered in Arabic, the employee hung up.

Jameson called the employee back, and the call went to a voice mailbox that identified the employee by name, but did not specify the agency, McKinney wrote. Later that day, one of the undercover FBI agents contacted Jameson to try to set up a meeting, but was rebuffed.

“I also don’t think I can do this after all. I’ve reconsidered,” Jameson is quoted as saying. When the undercover agent replied, “We can only do Allah’s will,” James reportedly replied, “Inshallah (God willing) one day I can. But I can’t.”

Evan Sernoffsky and Lizzie Johnson are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky @LizzieJohnsonnn