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California Man Arrested For Alleged Plot To Attack San Francisco Pier On Christmas

SAN FRANCISCO (CBSLA) — A Northern California man faces terrorism charges for allegedly plotting a Christmas Day attack on San Francisco's popular Pier 39.

Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, was arrested Wednesday morning at his home in Modesto, according to court documents.

Authorities say Jameson told an undercover FBI agent he planned on targeting the heavily-crowded Pier 39 on Christmas, which he described as the "perfect day" for an attack, court documents showed.

Jameson, a tow truck driver who lives in Modesto, offered to make use of his vehicle and allegedly believed he was working with ISIS, according to authorities.

He also allegedly told another FBI agent he was "ready to die" and did not have an escape plan for the attack.

Everitt Aaron Jameson
A screenshot from Everitt Aaron Jameson's Facebook page. (Screengrab via Facebook)

In a letter seized by the FBI seized, Jameson made references to President Donald Trump's decision to "give away" Jerusalem - referred to as Al Quds in Arabic - "to the Jews" and said "Love live Isil", another name for the Islamic State.

Authorities say the investigation may have been inadvertently exposed when an FBI employee mistakenly called Jameson's cell phone using a phone number with a Washington, D.C. area code.

After the call, Jameson apparently suspected he was under surveillance and wrote to the undercover operative, "I also don't think I can do this after all. I've reconsidered."

The New York Police Department announced Friday it was stepping up security around churches for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but officials say it was not in response to any specific threat.

There will be blocker trucks and officers armed with heavy weapons outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, wwith "heavy weapons teams responding throughout the city and throughout Midnight Masses and through the Masses on Christmas Day as well," NYPD Chief of Patrol Terence Monahan said.

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