by Matthew Holloway | Feb 10, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Marvin Aneer Jalo, a Buckeye 17-year-old charged in an attempted terrorist attack on the 2024 Phoenix Pride Parade will be tried as an adult after a ruling from Judge Joseph Kiefer on Friday. Kiefer denied efforts by the suspect’s attorneys to remove the case to juvenile court stressing the seriousness of the charges against him.
Jalo was arrested in October and charged with one count of terrorism and one count of conspiracy to commit terrorism in connection with an alleged conspiracy hatched on messaging platforms Discord and Telegram to attack the event using a “bomb drone,” equipped with TATP (Triacetone Triperoxide) and C4 explosives.
Judge Kiefer denied the motion by Jalo, as reported by AZ Family, stating “The seriousness of the offenses does not support that public safety is best served by defendant’s case proceeding in juvenile court.” He added that the suspect demonstrated “a very concerning level of participation and planning toward possible attacks in multiple U.S. cities.”
In the indictment against Jalo obtained by Fox News, a Grand Jury alleged that the teenager “intentionally or knowingly did provide advice, assistance, direction or management of an act of terrorism to further the goals, desires, aims, public pronouncements, manifestos or political objective of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.”
A statement from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office revealed that investigators found Jalo had “participated in online chat rooms discussing the supplies necessary to make an improvised explosive device and then had those supplies shipped to him. He discussed his intent to make TATP (tri-acetone triperoxide), an unstable explosive that can propel shrapnel and other dangerous items outward, causing serious injury or death to people in the area,” and furthermore “posted various videos of himself making the TATP” while “continuing to reference a desire to use those explosives.”
Jalo was arrested at his home in Buckeye with his mother telling authorities that the two had argued after she discovered her son “in chat rooms, with the use of his cell phone, speaking with other subjects whom she described as terrorists, who had been conspiring to conduct a possible attack,” per court documents.
The suspect later spoke with police and “confirmed he had been speaking with extremists, who were actively recruiting him. [Jalo] told police that he needed to gather more knowledge and better prepare himself before taking part in a terrorist event.”
Judge Keifer said in his ruling that the messages exchanged between Jalo and his co-conspirators weren’t merely “Should we engage in this conduct” or “What would it be like to engage in this conduct,” but rather centered on “how the group would actually prepare for and accomplish these attacks.” The Judge added that although Jalo could have been “posturing” or “embellishing,” the role he took in the chats was “significant.”
Jalo’s next hearing is scheduled for February. He was held on a $1 million cash-only bond as of October. However, due to his age it is unknown if he is still in custody or has been released on bond.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 19, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
Gilbert’s fire and police departments had a gay old time at Phoenix Pride Parade over the weekend — but some are questioning whether they misused taxpayer funds.
The Gilbert Fire Department and Gilbert Police Department issued a joint post commemorating their participation in the pride parade. The video depicts first responders smiling, waving rainbow gear, and walking with parade attendees, and a fire truck and police car flash their lights; the remix of Earth, Wind, & Fire’s “September” popularized by TikTok trends plays over the video.
Both the fire and police departments were an hour (50 miles) round trip from the Phoenix Pride Parade. Factoring in the drive time at the parade and the average cost of gas in the area ($5.33), that appearance likely cost between $60 and $90 in gas for the fire truck alone.
Gilbert’s first responders don’t attend every large annual parade. For example: they didn’t participate in the Arizona for Life March & Rally in January.
Gilbert Vice Mayor Aimee Yentes told AZ Free News in a statement that this was another example of the town’s wasteful spending for the sake of virtue signaling.
“Despite the Town insisting the organization is as lean as they can possibly get without impacting services, this latest antic is clear indication that they are plagued by a paradigm of waste,” said Yentes. “After all, as residents just struggle to afford putting gas in their car, the town is deploying expensive assets to drive 20+ miles to essentially virtue signal. Town equipment is meant to provide value to town taxpayers. It is not a tool for employees to make their own personal and political statements. This is wholly inappropriate and a slap in the face to taxpayers.”
Some social media users praised the Gilbert first responders for attending the parade, but some questioned the appropriateness of their involvement.
“What does the fire department and police department have to do with people’s sexual kinks?” wrote one user.
“Pretty sure everyone here wouldn’t be just as happy for the police and fire department if they rolled in a MAGA rally for our president a few years ago…” wrote another user.
The manager’s office reportedly promised to look into the first responders’ use of taxpayer funds. However, it’s unlikely town leaders intend to investigate, since the town posted it on their official TikTok account as well.
“Gilbert Fire & Rescue, Gilbert Police Department, and other Gilbert members participated in the 2022 Phoenix Pride Parade,” stated the post. “The Phoenix Pride Parade brings our diverse LGBTQ+ and allied communities together for a weekend of camaraderie and celebration of our past, present and future. #gilbertfire #gilbertfireandrescue #gilbertpd #gilbertaz #gilbertpolice #gilbertarizona #phoenixarizona #phoenixaz #pride #prideparade #phoenixpride.”
The Gilbert Fire Department’s use of taxpayer funds to attend a Pride Parade occurred less than a month before voters will decide on Proposition 310, a new statewide sales tax to increase revenue for fire districts. Firefighter union leaders say that they’re struggling to meet operation costs due to inflation. Unlike a general fund allocation, the sales tax revenue wouldn’t require transparency on expenditures.
This year’s Phoenix Pride Parade sponsors included Albertsons/Safeway, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bank of America, Bank of the West BNP Paribas, Banner Health, Bud Light, Carvana, Corona, Desert Financial Credit Union, Discover, DriveTime, Edward Jones, Embry Health, The Foundry, The Hartford, In-Power Motors, Nationwide, PetSmart, Progressive Leasing, SVB, Slalom, Snooze, Solari, Starbucks, Target, Toyota, and Upgrade.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
