USA: Armed man arrested threatening to kill Muslims

Law enforcement in Catawba County, located in the Piedmont of North Carolina, arrested an individual in the town of Newton, about sixty kilometers northwest of Charlotte. Christopher Thomas Way, a 33-year-old local resident, made explicit death threats aimed at the local Muslim community, openly declaring his intention to “kill Muslims”.

The intervention was praised by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the United States. This arrest follows a report concerning these alarming comments. Investigators discovered during the search a device classified as a “weapons of mass destruction” under state law.

Recent months have seen a significant increase in similar incidents on American soil, particularly in the Southeastern states, since tensions in the Middle East. Local associations in North Carolina are now encouraging places of worship to increase their vigilance. The suspect, held in custody at the Catawba County Correctional Center under bail set at $75,000, will face significant criminal charges in federal court.

FBI statistics reveal a 30% increase in acts of targeted intimidation since the fall of 2023 in the United States, with a particular concentration in the Southern states. This case highlights the importance of community surveillance networks and the responsiveness of authorities to potential threats. However, observers believe that a significant number of similar incidents still escape official radar, suggesting a situation that may be more worrying than the figures suggest.