A Syrian refugee living in Pittsburgh plotted to blow up a church next month in support of the Islamic State, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Mustafa Mousab Alowemer, 21, was arrested Tuesday by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. He is charged with terrorism charges and two counts of distributing information relating to an explosive, destructive device or weapon of mass destruction.

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As prosecutors tell it, Mr. Alowemer planned to blow up a Pittsburgh church dubbed the Legacy International Worship Center. They say his motivation was to show his support for the Islamic State, better known as ISIS, and inspire other sympathizers to commit similar crimes.

Court documents describe the church as Christian and Nigerian. He sought to attack the church “to take revenge for our [ISIS] brothers in Nigeria.”

Mr. Alowemer recruited and began discussing the plot with someone he thought was an Islamic State sympathizer, but was actually an undercover FBI employee, according to court documents….

The FBI said Mr. Alowemer distributed bomb information to the undercover employee and purchased several items to complete the church attack, including acetone, 9-volt batteries, ice packs and nails….

Mr. Alowemer was set to appear before a federal judge on Wednesday, but that has been moved to Friday, according to several Pittsburgh media outlets.

(Excerpted from The Washington Times article by Jeff Mordock.)