Documents: Boston terror suspect planned knife attacks on 'boys in blue'

Kevin Johnson | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Police: Boston terror suspect came at cops with knife A man under surveillance by terrorism investigators was shot and killed by a Boston police officer after coming at officers with a large military knife. (AP)

BOSTON — The terrorism suspect who was killed Tuesday in an encounter with law enforcement officials planned to launch knife attacks against police officials as soon as that morning, according to federal court documents.

"I'm just going to ... go after them, those boys in blue,'' Usaamah Rahim allegedly told associate David Wright hours before Rahim was shot while advancing on a team of agents and police tracking him.

A law enforcement official said that Pamela Geller, the organizer of last month's deadly Prophet Mohammed cartoon contest in Garland, Texas, was discussed as the original target for beheading.

The official, who is not authorized to comment publicly, said that details of the plot were not fully formed before Rahim's attention turned to police.

"This is the state of freedom of speech in America in 2015," Geller said Wednesday. "The question is are we going to stand against this savagery?"

According to documents filed in support of conspiracy charges against Wright, Rahim chose to target police after abandoning a plan to behead another intended victim who was not immediately identified. Wright was arrested late Tuesday and appeared in federal court Wednesday, charged with conspiring to obstruct the federal investigation by destroying evidence on Rahim's phone.

In a telephone conversation intercepted last week by investigators, Rahim allegedly told Wright about a "nice little tool" he'd just purchased: a 9.75-inch Marine fighting knife, one of three the suspect had obtained. During the same conversation, the two allegedly discussed the initial attack plan in which the target's head would be placed on the chest, a tactic of terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State, also called ISIL or ISIS.

"Like thinking with your head on your chest,'' Wright told Rahim.

Around 5 a.m. Tuesday, investigators intercepted another telephone conversation between the two men in which Rahim allegedly declared he could no longer wait to carry out the planned beheading, switching his focus to police.

"Cause, ah, it's the easiest target and, ah, the most common is the easiest for me,'' Rahim told Wright.

Wright then allegedly instructed Rahim to prepare a will in preparation for what probably would be a mission of martyrdom, delete information from his phone and destroy it, along with any information that could incriminate others.

"Get rid of it before anybody gets it,'' Wright allegedly told Rahim. "Make sure it is completely destroyed.''

The terrorism threat had grown so "severe'' that a contingent of up to five investigators were assigned to track Rahim on Tuesday morning, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said Wednesday.

"This guy (Rahim) required 24/7 surveillance,'' Evans said. "We thought that the threat was serious enough that we had to approach him.''

Evans' remarks came after authorities sought to soothe community tensions Wednesday in a private meeting with religious and civic leaders who were allowed to view a video recording of Tuesday morning's shooting.

Although the shooting inquiry is continuing, there was general agreement that Rahim was shot while advancing on backtracking officers.

That contradicted an account provided Tuesday by Rahim's brother, Boston-area imam Ibrahim Rahim, who said his brother was shot three times in the back while he was on a cellphone, speaking with his father.

"There were many questions that were not answered," Darnell Williams, head of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, said after viewing the video. "What the video did tell us was that the gentleman was not on his cellphone. The individual was not shot in the back."

Evans said Rahim was hit three times, in the shoulder, torso and abdomen.

Williams said the officers appeared to be retreating from Rahim before they drew and fired their weapons.

"I 150% corroborate what the commissioner said,'' Williams said.

Imam Abdullah Faaruuq was more cautious, describing the video as "inconclusive," but he agreed with Williams' general description. He noted that the video was grainy and shot from far away.

"The issue now is about the living," Faaruuq said. "The (Rahim) family is in pain and suffering."

Wright, 24, made his initial appearance Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Page Kelley. A detention hearing was set for June 19. If convicted, he could face a maximum punishment of five years in prison, three years of supervised released and a $250,000 fine.

The defendant entered the courtroom with his hands cuffed behind his back and under the escort of U.S. marshals.

During the brief hearing, Kelley advised the suspect of his legal rights. He did not enter a plea to the charges against him.