DETROIT — A 63-year-old Southern California man who had explosives in his vehicle was arrested outside one of the nation’s largest mosques in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, authorities in Michigan said.
Police said Roger Stockham was arraigned Wednesday on one count of making a false report or threat of terrorism and one count of possessing explosives with an unlawful intent. Stockham had a large but undisclosed quantity of class-C fireworks, including M-80s, which are outlawed in Michigan, Chief Ronald Haddad said.
“I was comfortable with the fact that we had taken him off the street. He isn’t going anywhere,” Haddad said Sunday afternoon. “I think the society he wanted to impact is safe.”
Haddad said Stockham was arrested Monday evening without incident in the parking lot of the Islamic Center of America while a large group was gathered inside. He said a resident had placed a 911 call.
Haddad said authorities believe Stockham was acting alone but still take him “very seriously.” He said Stockham has “a long history of anti-government activities,” though he declined to elaborate.
Stockham remained jailed Sunday on $500,000 bail. A preliminary examination is scheduled for Friday.
Dearborn is the center of the area’s Arab-American community, one of the largest in the U.S.
