FBI: Man planned Christmas attack in San Francisco

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — THEFBI said Friday that it found a martyrdom letter and several guns in the home of a former Marine who said he wanted to carry out a Christmas Day attack on a popular San Francisco tourist destination.

Everitt Aaron Jameson, 26, a Modesto tow-truck driver, was charged Friday with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. It was not clear if he had an attorney.

Jameson told an undercover agent he believed to be associated with senior leadership of the Islamic State group that he wanted to conduct a violent attack on Pier 39 in San Francisco because it was heavily crowded, according to an FBI affidavit.

He told the undercover agent that Christmas Day would be “the perfect day to commit the attack” and that he “did not need an escape plan because he was ready to die,” according to the affidavit.

Pier 39, packed with restaurants, bars and souvenir shops, is one of San Francisco’s most popular tourist spots. Home to the city’s aquarium, the pier offers free live music and street performances and offers a good spot to photograph sea lions that gather in the marina below.

He was under surveillance and “the public was never in imminent danger,” FBI spokeswoman Katherine Zackel said in a statement.

She and San Francisco Acting Mayor London Breed both said there are no other known threats, though police increased their presence throughout the city after being notified of the FBI investigation several days ago.