Man accused of having Molotov cocktails, targeting mosque released on electronic monitoring
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Chicago (WBBM) — A southwest suburban man accused of targeting a mosque was released on electronic monitoring after he was arrested with a backpack full of Molotov cocktails earlier this month.
Hamed Alsaidi, 31, was charged with eight counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device.
Earlier this month, Alsaidi was picked up by Mokena police because he was lurking around the streets. In his backpack, court records show he had eight glass bottles containing an ignitable liquid commonly known as a Molotov cocktail.
Investigators say that, besides the explosive devices, they also found a handwritten map of an area in Orland Park, including the Metra station and the words “you see the mosque” that referred to the Orland Park Prayer Center.
With everything police found on him and knowing he previously threatened the mosque, a Will County judge released him on electronic monitoring.
“Well, I think it’s a slap in the face to the residents here in Will County,” said Rep. Patrick Sheehan.
Sheehan represents the Mokena and Orland Park areas. He questions how a judge saw fit to release Alsaidi.
“The fact that this, you know, individual was released on an ankle monitor is just blowing people’s minds out here in the southwest suburbs,” he said.
Sheehan says we’ve seen the flaws electronic monitoring has produced in Illinois.
“We’ve already seen Cook County State’s Attorney Burke say that the electronic monitoring system is broken here in Illinois,” Sheehan said.
He contends the SAFE-T Act, which abolished cash bail, and sanctuary city policies are superseding common sense, especially when ICE had a detainer for Alsaidi for immigration status and the judge still released him.
Besides a full repeal of the SAFE-T Act, Sheehan says he is pushing for revisions.
“We’re talking about mandatory detentions for certain crimes. And, you know, if this were raised to the level of that, then this person would ultimately be detained, and it wouldn’t be up to a judge’s discretion in this instance.”
Alsaidi is now back in federal custody. He was free for two days on electronic monitoring before federal agents tracked him down and arrested him again.
He is now facing federal charges.
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