Man Charged With Mosque Threat Ruled Incompetent
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A California man accused of planning to attack the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.
A Wayne County judge ruled Monday that 63-year-old Roger Stockham will continue treatment in a mental health center, according to a report by the Detroit News.
The Imperial Beach, California, man is a Muslim convert and Vietnam War veteran. He's charged with making a false report or threat of terrorism and possessing explosives with unlawful intent for allegedly plotting to detonate fireworks at the mosque.
He was arrested Jan. 24 outside the Dearborn mosque.
Stockham said he planned to write graffiti on the mosque over his concern about claims that a U.S. helicopter pilot shot civilians in Iraq, according defense attorney Matthew Evans.
When Stockham was arrested outside the mosque on Jan. 24, police found powerful illegal fireworks in his car. Prosecutors allege Stockham, who has been in and out of jail and psychiatric hospitals for decades, was planning to attack the mosque, but was caught before he could do it.
Wayne County Circuit Judge Bruce Morrow ordered the competency hearing after learning Stockham sent a letter to the center.
Evans said Stockham's letter was a "rant" but didn't threaten violence.
He has several prior convictions and suffers from bipolar and post-traumatic stress disorders.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
