Guns, Ammo Found At Home Of Man Accused Of Making Threats Against Islamic Center Of SoCal

KOREATOWN (CBSLA.com) — An Agoura Hills man was arrested and charged with making terrorist threats against the Islamic Center of Southern California in Koreatown.

Mark Lucian Feigin, 40, was taken into custody last week.

On Sept. 19, the suspect left at the center a voicemail filled with hate and profanity. The next day he called again and threatened to kill Muslims, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Police said they found at least nine guns, modified high-capacity magazines and 250 pounds of ammunition in the 40-year-old suspect's home.

Investigators said Feigin's anti-Islam rants on Twitter showed the extent of his hatred.

"People make threats of this nature and they have the means to carry out those threats. It's a very serious matter," Capt. Horace Frank of the LAPD's Counter Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau said Tuesday. "We recognize everyone has the right to free speech, but with that right comes enormous responsibility.When someone starts talking about, `I'll kill you,' it becomes a concern to us."

But Frank declined to say whether investigators believe Feigin was planning an attack or making empty threats.

The police captain acknowledged that the Islamic center regularly gets threatening phone calls, but Feigin's threats stood out. "When he crossed the line is when he threatened to kill them," Frank said. "That's where free speech ends."

"Unfortunately in today's political climate, such hate is not uncommon or when something happened to the world, we get a call every once in a while. But this particular call rose to a different level," said Omar Ricci, Chairman of the Islamic Center of Southern California and an L.A. reserve officer in the Counter-terrorism and Special Operations Bureau.

The California attorney general charged Feigin with making criminal threats with a hate crime enhancement.

But he was released on $75,000 bail, frustrating members of the Muslim community, who believed he should face terrorism charges.

"I can't tell you everything. But I can guarantee you he won't carry out those threats," said Assistant Chief Mike Downey.

The center said it has obtained a restraining order against Feigin, who is due in court on Nov. 10.