BOSTON — Two men were charged Friday with conspiring to help the Islamic State group by plotting with a Boston terror suspect to kill a conservative blogger known for provoking Muslims.
Nicholas Rovinski, 24, of Warwick, R.I., made a brief appearance in federal court in Boston on Friday on a charge of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. David Wright, 25, of Everett, Mass., was initially arrested last week.
Both men are accused of scheming with Usaama Rahim, 26, of Boston, who was killed last week by terror investigators who had him under 24-hour surveillance. Authorities say Rahim lunged at police with a military-style knife, but his family has questioned that account, noting a knife isn’t seen in a grainy surveillance video cited by authorities.
Wright, Rahim’s nephew, told the FBI he met Rovinski about a year ago through Facebook, and they began communicating, according to an FBI affidavit.
The affidavit says the three men initially planned to behead a political activist whom law enforcement officials have identified as Pamela Geller, a blogger who campaigned against a mosque near the World Trade Center site in New York and organized a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas.
Rovinski, wearing a blue T-shirt and gray sweatpants, did not enter a plea at Friday’s appearance. His lawyer declined to comment afterward. But earlier, Rovinski’s mother, Lori, told reporters, “It’s not true. That’s all I can say. It’ll all come out.”
Wright’s lawyer, Jessica Hedges, didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment on the new charge. Wright has been in custody since his arrest last week on a charge of conspiracy to destroy evidence.
Both Rovinski and Wright are scheduled to appear in court for a detention hearing June 19. Prosecutors said Friday that they’ll ask for Rovinski to be held without bail until his trial because he poses a “significant threat” to public safety.
Wright and Rovinski told authorities that during a meeting with Rahim on May 31, they discussed plans to behead Geller, according to the affidavit. Two days later, Rahim called Wright and told him in a recorded conversation that he had “changed plans” and now wanted to attack “those boys in blue,” referring to police, either that day or the following day, the affidavit states.
