A 27-year-old Phoenix man accused of plotting a mass casualty attack on a Jewish or Muslim house of worship had his bond set at $100,000 following an initial court appearance in Maricopa County on Friday.
Matthew Bjornholt faces a felony charge of making a terrorist threat. Prosecutor Stephen Garcia told the court that Bjornholt laid out a detailed plan for violence involving guns and explosives, with an accomplice tasked with shooting survivors after an initial attack. Garcia had asked for a $500,000 cash bond, describing Bjornholt as an imminent danger to the community, according to FOX 10.
Garcia said investigators found that Bjornholt kept a copy of “The Anarchist Cookbook” — a manual containing bomb-making instructions that has been linked to Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh — and that Bjornholt referred to the book as his “Bible.” According to Garcia, the alleged plan called for bombs to be detonated before an accomplice would begin “picking off people” with firearms. Investigators later seized three guns and ammunition from Bjornholt’s home.
Bjornholt’s defense attorney, Chad Schell, disputed the allegations, telling the court they stem from unverified statements made by a “homeless alcoholic” whom Bjornholt had briefly allowed to stay on his couch before kicking him out late last month.
Schell said the FBI had already investigated the same claims weeks earlier. According to Schell, agents executed a search warrant at Bjornholt’s home on Sept. 29, and Bjornholt voluntarily handed over his electronic devices along with the passwords. Schell said federal investigators found no evidence of terrorism or bomb-making materials and did not pursue charges before the case was later taken up by county prosecutors.
“There is no evidence he’s a danger to the community. What is the evidence that he’s a danger to the community? Some hearsay statements from some dude — that my client kicked out of his house two days before September 29,” Schell told the court.
“Again, the FBI served a search warrant, got all of his electronic devices. He gave them access, gave him his passwords to those devices. They went through all of those electronic devices. They didn’t see anything about terrorism. And FBI cut him loose,” he continued.
Schell also argued the three firearms seized from the home were lawfully possessed. He said Bjornholt’s civil rights were restored after he completed a sentence on a drug charge tied to a since-closed first-degree murder case, which Schell said was dropped due to a lack of evidence. The ammunition recovered, he said, amounted to no more than standard magazine loads.
Fox News Digital reported it had reached out to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the FBI’s Phoenix field office for comment.
Despite prosecutors pointing to Bjornholt’s criminal history in seeking a higher bond, the judge said the state’s preliminary evidence relied heavily on hearsay and set bond at $100,000. The judge did find sufficient probable cause to let the case proceed.
It remains unclear whether a specific house of worship was targeted in the alleged plot or whether a specific accomplice has been identified.
Bjornholt is due back in court for a status conference on Oct. 22, followed by a preliminary hearing on Oct. 26.
