We're hearing some comments for the first time from the U.S. Attorney for Western New York about the Emanuel Lutchman case. He's the Rochester man accused last week of trying to provide support to terrorists.
Lutchman faces a federal complaint that he was part of a plot to abduct or kill patrons at a Rochester bar on New Year's Eve, because of his interest in helping ISIS.
U.S. Attorney Bill Hochul was asked about the case during a news conference in Buffalo Wednesday to talk about his office's priorities and initiatives. He says when it comes to dealing with terror-related cases, his office will use what tools are available to them under federal law.
“Search warrants, law enforcement techniques, interviewing witnesses . As the president himself has said, this is a tremendous priority. We have had substantial experience when it comes to fighting terrorists and those who would join terrorist groups of all type.”
Hochul was asked about questions raised about how serious this plot actually was.
“As Mr. Lutchman himself said, and I’ll defer to the words of the complaint, he expressed his interest to kill as a way to get into the terrorist group, and also expressed his membership in the terrorist group.”
In terms of any questions raised about the use of informants or whether the Lutchman case involved entrapment by authorities, Hochul said that will be up to Lutchman's defense lawyers to decide whether they want to argue that.
Lutchman is due back in court in Rochester on Friday.
