Easter Threats & Shootings at Churches: Intelligence and Crime Briefing
Man points gun at pastor, Al Qaeda and ISIS threats abound.
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TERROR
Main Stream Press, & Some Church Influencers, Spread Misinformation About Easter Attacks
When ISIS’s al-Naba newsletter (Issue 541) published an operational call ahead of Easter weekend, news outlets across the country ran headlines stating that ISIS had called for attacks on “churches and synagogues.” CWT went to the source document directly. The al-Naba call specifically targets Jewish synagogues in response to the closure of Al-Aqsa Mosque — the word “churches” does not appear in that editorial. The inaccurate church language was traced back to a single expert quote that was accurate as broader ISIS doctrine analysis but was not a direct quote from the newsletter itself; every outlet after that copied the headline without reading the original. The danger now is not what ISIS actually published, it is what the press told people ISIS published. Lone wolf actors are not reading Arabic-script newsletters. They are reading the news, and some of them will treat an inaccurate headline as an operational order.
🛡️ My thoughts: Many leaders in our church security industry ran with this MSM headline. We all need to do better. I have been accused by some of fear mongering. Those same people were spreading that false headline without actually vetting what the press had put out. It is time that Christians form our own intelligence group. We cannot count on the press or the government to provide actual intelligence to us that protects our churches.
Al-Qaeda Releases New Lone-Actor Attack Guide Targeting Western Muslims, Glorifying Jewish Community Attack — Multiple Locations
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released Inspire Guide #12 in Spring 2026, using the December 14, 2025 mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah gathering at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia as the centerpiece of a lone-actor recruitment and operational guide directed explicitly at Muslims living in the United States and Europe. The publication profiles the two attackers, describes their months-long rural weapons training and pre-attack surveillance, and frames the killing of 15 people at a religious community gathering as a model for readers to follow. The guide includes improvised explosive device construction instructions and closes with a direct appeal telling readers in America and Europe that what the Bondi attackers did is the minimum expected of them, urging them to look around at nearby targets and act.
Source: AQAP Inspire Guide #12, Al-Malahem Media, Spring 2026
🛡️ My thoughts: The publication is produced by AQAP’s Al-Malahem Media and represents the organization’s continued effort to inspire decentralized lone-actor attacks against Jewish religious gatherings and Christian community events in Western countries going into Easter weekend. You can read the issue they put out below.
FBI Confirms West Bloomfield Synagogue Attack Was Hizballah-Inspired — West Bloomfield, Michigan
On March 30, the FBI announced its determination that the March 12 attack on Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, Michigan was inspired by Hezbollah, following more than 100 interviews and coordination with foreign partners. The attacker, Ayman Mohammad Ghazali, spent the days prior conducting online research targeting large Jewish gatherings in Michigan, purchasing an AR-style rifle and 300 rounds of ammunition, and filling his social media with posts honoring Hezbollah leadership before driving his vehicle into the synagogue. The FBI confirmed Ghazali had no prior investigation file, was not on the terrorist watchlist, and conducted no physical pre-attack surveillance at the location. Armed security guards from the synagogue engaged him during the attack and shot and killed him before he could inflict casualties. The FBI noted Ghazali exchanged calls with his ex-wife shortly before the attack, who had already contacted police for a wellness check, underscoring the value of community reporting in detecting pre-attack behavior.
🛡️ My thoughts: Michigan is at great risk due to the increased number of muslims living in their state. 57.5% of Muslim American respondents agreed that Hamas was at least somewhat justified in attacking Israel "as part of their struggle for a Palestinian state.” That is not an insignificant number. Many have become radicalized and pose great threats to not only Jews, but Christians as well.
ISWAP Expands into Nigeria’s Middle Belt, Targeting Churches — Nigeria
Islamic State West Africa Province carried out a coordinated motorcycle raid on March 22 in Oro-Ago, Kwara State, during which 30 or more gunmen abducted nine ECWA church worshippers mid-service. The same week, an IED detonation killed eight civilians in a market in nearby Woro, Kwara State. Intelligence reporting indicates ISWAP is establishing a new operational corridor in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, exploiting security gaps between federal and state forces, with warnings of coordinated strikes planned across three local government areas. Kwara State had previously been considered outside ISWAP’s primary area of operations. The Kwara attacks are assessed as part of a broader pattern of systematic Christian targeting that has netted more than 185 hostages across the region over several weeks, with Boko Haram and ISWAP assessed as conducting collaborative operations despite their historical rivalry.
🛡️ My thoughts: This is especially important to watch for those supporting ministries in Nigeria and nearby countries. If you are a Nigerian Christian reading this, please go to the comments and let us know what we can do for you.
IS Exploiting New Social Media Platform with No Content Moderation — Global
Islamic State supporters have established at least 120 accounts on UpScrolled, a social media platform launched in June 2025 that reached one million users by January 2026, and are using it to distribute official IS propaganda including An-Naba newsletter content, AMAQ news bulletins, and Al-Hayat media productions. The platform’s chronological feed and transparent hashtag system make IS content easily discoverable in both English and Arabic. Security analysts have noted the platform lacks functional content moderation, and accounts actively link users out to IS content on TikTok, Telegram, and Facebook. This represents IS’s continued pattern of migrating to emerging platforms after intensified moderation on major ones.
🛡️ My thoughts: Parents and church security personnel should be aware that UpScrolled is currently functioning as an unmoderated distribution node for IS recruitment and propaganda material.
Accused Mass Casualty Plotter Named Places of Worship as Targets — Western Australia
A man in Western Australia appeared in court this week accused of planning a mass casualty terror attack targeting public buildings and places of worship. According to court testimony, the accused believed his planned attack would exceed the scale of the 2024 Bondi Beach mass shootings that killed multiple people. Prosecutors presented evidence that the defendant had specifically identified worship venues as intended targets. The case is being prosecuted under Australian terrorism statutes.
🛡️ My thoughts: We have many followers from Australia. For the Americans, you have to realize there are multiple people in the U.S. that are plotting the same thing.
VIOLENT CRIME
Gunman Points Weapon at Pastor During Teen’s Funeral — Detroit, Michigan
Pastor Darthanian Nichols of Breaking Chains Outreach Ministries was officiating the funeral of 17-year-old Jabari Malik Kenney at New McFall Brothers Funeral Home on Saturday, March 29, when a grief-stricken man in the crowd began yelling obscenities, drew a handgun, aimed it directly at the pastor, and threatened to hurt him if he did not stop speaking. The gunman declared he did not believe in the God Nichols preaches and told the pastor to stop. People at the funeral began running in every direction to escape. Nichols, who is also a licensed therapist and social worker, used the microphone to calmly direct the room to evacuate in an orderly fashion, keeping his composure throughout the confrontation. He later said he believed he was about to be shot. Detroit Police Captain John Stewart called Nichols a hero at a subsequent press conference. Five people were arrested, including the suspected gunman, who faces felonious assault and felony firearm charges, along with four others taken into custody for a variety of weapons offenses. Kenney himself had been killed by gun violence earlier in the month.
🛡️ My thoughts: Here we are with more funeral violence. You must realize that if you are doing a funeral for somebody who has a criminal past, belongs to a gang or a cartel, you are at heightened risk of violence at your church. The criminal element will be coming into your church and they don’t leave their violence at the door. There used to be respect for churches among the criminal element. I saw that start to disappear about 20 years ago.
Pastor’s Home Hit by Multiple Gunshots — Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Pastor Eyvette Abbott of Winston-Salem says she is grateful to be alive after her home was struck by multiple gunshots, with the incident captured on video. Abbott leads Miracles Outreach International and was at home at the time of the shooting. No injuries were reported and no arrest has been made. Winston-Salem police are investigating. The incident is the latest in a pattern of weapons being directed at faith leaders and their residences in North Carolina.
🛡️ My thoughts: We don't know if she was targeted because of her faith and her position or if it was for some other reason. She does have two sons living with her at home. However, there has been an increase in shootings at the homes of clergy in the past few years. I do believe that we should all be taking basic precautions at home. This includes having a 4K video system so you can monitor what's going on outside without having to look out a window. You should also maintain situational awareness while you are at home.
NCTC Flags Easter Weekend as Elevated-Risk Period Amid Active Threat Environment — United States
The NCTC Counterterrorism Digest for the week of March 26 – April 1, 2026 specifically lists Good Friday (April 3) and Easter (April 5) in its Upcoming Events calendar, a section reserved for dates with historical or current terrorism relevance. The listing comes during a week that included an FBI-confirmed Hizballah-inspired synagogue attack, an ISIS-aligned publication explicitly targeting religious gatherings with poison attack guidance, a Shia militant group conducting seven attacks across European synagogues, and two teenagers arrested in the Netherlands for a suspected plot against a synagogue. The NCTC also flags April 21 as the anniversary of the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombings, in which coordinated attacks on churches killed more than 260 people. Church security teams should treat this weekend as an elevated-awareness period and ensure pre-service walkthroughs, access control, and communication protocols are confirmed before Sunday services.
🛡️ My thoughts: this was not put out to churches. This was put out to other government agencies by another government agency. This is another example of the government failing to protect you and to warn you.
Bomb Threat Triggers Evacuation of Faith Community Church — Hudson, Wisconsin
A written bomb threat received Tuesday morning, March 31, led authorities to evacuate Faith Community Church at 777 Carmichael Road in Hudson, Wisconsin, and issue a public safety alert directing anyone within 800 yards of the building to clear the area immediately. St. Croix County law enforcement responded to the scene as an active threat situation. The church posted on Facebook that law enforcement was on site handling the situation, and asked the community to pray. A suspect was taken into custody the same day and normal operations resumed. No injuries were reported and no explosive device was found at the building.
Multiple Assaults in Church Parking Lot — Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier Police were called to the back parking lot of Christ Church on State Street at approximately 5:41 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, after receiving reports of an assault in progress. Officers arrived to find multiple people had been injured in an altercation. A 32-year-old man was arrested at the scene. The specific charges filed against the suspect and the number of victims injured were not released in initial reports. The incident occurred in the parking lot area behind the church building.
Man Attacked with Axe at Church — Providence, Rhode Island
A man was attacked by a suspect wielding an axe at a church in Providence, Rhode Island, on Monday, March 30. Police responded to a disturbance call and found the victim with injuries from the attack. The suspect was taken into custody. The identity of the suspect, the victim, and the specific congregation were not released in initial reports, nor were details about the condition of the injured man or the charges filed against the attacker.
SEXUAL ASSAULT
Gateway Church Founder Robert Morris Released After Six Months in Jail — Southlake, Texas
Robert Morris, 64, founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas — one of the largest megachurches in the country with tens of thousands of members — was released from Osage County Jail in Oklahoma just after midnight on March 31 after completing six months, the custodial portion of a 10-year suspended sentence. Morris pleaded guilty on October 2, 2025, to five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, admitting he sexually abused Cindy Clemishire beginning in 1982 when she was 12 years old and he was 22 and staying in her family’s home in Hominy, Oklahoma, as a traveling evangelist. The abuse lasted more than four years. Under the plea agreement, Morris must register as a lifetime sex offender, serve 9.5 years of probation, and paid $270,000 in restitution to Clemishire. He plans to serve his probation at his $1.5 million lakefront home in Palo Pinto County, Texas. A civil trial involving Clemishire, her father, Morris, and Gateway Church — which alleges the church knew about the abuse for years, covered it up, and defamed Clemishire by downplaying the assault in public statements — is set for June 2026. The Oklahoma House passed the “Cindy Clemishire Act” following the case, which restricts the use of nondisclosure agreements in child abuse cases.
🛡️ My thoughts: This is a ridiculously light sentence. We should be wary that he will try and get a job as a pastor somewhere, or start another church on his own. It is up for the Lord to forgive him, but in the meantime, we must protect our congregations from sexual predators. This is why you do comprehensive background checks before hiring anyone.
Pastor Doug McDaris Arrested on Child Molestation Charges — Louisiana/South Carolina
Doug McDaris, 74, currently serving as pastor at a congregation in the Upstate region of South Carolina, was arrested and charged with two counts of molestation of a child for offenses that allegedly occurred when he previously lived and worked in Louisiana, where he served as pastor of Oakview Baptist Church. The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office made the arrest. McDaris was taken into custody in South Carolina and faces Louisiana charges. No information on the timeline of the alleged abuse, the identity of the victim, or MDaris’s current congregation was available in initial reports.
🛡️ My thoughts: There are at least 17 sexual assaults committed by staff at our churches to every active shooter incident. That means your pastor is more likely to molest a child than for you to have an active shooter at your church. What are you doing to prevent that? You must have a 2 adult rule (including the pastor) for contact with any child. This is the minimum.
Little Falls Pastor Faces Seven Criminal Sexual Conduct Charges — Little Falls, Minnesota
A pastor identified as DeMenge in Little Falls, Minnesota, was charged with seven counts of criminal sexual conduct following an investigation by the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office. A victim came forward and described repeated abuse that allegedly began when she was younger than seven years old. Investigators made contact with DeMenge after the victim’s account was reported. The specific congregation DeMenge served and the full timeline of the alleged offenses were not included in the initial report.
Former La Vida Church Pastor Arrested for Sexual Assault — Angleton, Texas
Angleton police arrested 61-year-old Alex Montealegre on March 25 in connection with a sexual assault investigation that began in January, with the incident alleged to have occurred in July 2025. Montealegre spent more than a decade as pastor of La Vida bilingual church of the Foursquare Gospel and was suspended from the pulpit in July 2025 amid the allegations. Following an internal denominational investigation, Montealegre and his wife were removed from all church duties in October 2025 and their pastoral licenses were revoked. He was booked into the Brazoria County Jail and later posted $100,000 bond. The Angleton Police Department states the investigation remains ongoing.
ARSON AND SUSPICIOUS FIRES
Only Catholic Church in Caldwell Parish Burned Down by Two Men — Columbia, Louisiana
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana charged 19-year-old Anthony Dillon Jr. and 21-year-old James Dale Smith IV with federal arson on April 1, after the two burned down St. John’s Chapel — the only Catholic church in Caldwell Parish — in the early hours of March 27. Court documents state the men had been living in a home that was stealing electricity from the church and had also sold a broken television to another resident; after the church cut off the electricity theft and the buyer complained about the TV, the men showed up before dawn, broke a window with a baseball bat, ransacked the church’s electronic equipment and stole at least three televisions and the sound system before setting the building on fire. If convicted, the two face a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison, a maximum of 20 years, and fines up to $250,000. The ATF, FBI, Louisiana State Fire Marshal, and Caldwell Parish Sheriff’s Office are all participating in the investigation.
🛡️ My thoughts: This is your weekly reminder that you need a 4k video system and a burglar alarm/fire alarm at your church.
International
At Least 53 Killed in Palm Sunday Attacks on Christian Communities — Jos, Nigeria
Armed gunmen carried out multiple coordinated attacks on Palm Sunday, March 29, targeting Christian communities in and around the predominantly Christian city of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria, killing at least 53 people across the strikes. One attack involved gunmen entering a popular local bar, posing as customers, then opening fire on those inside. Earlier attacks the same day hit the Christian communities of Angwa Rukuba Junction in Eto Baba, where at least 10 people were killed. The attacks occurred on one of the holiest days of the Christian calendar and drew immediate condemnation from international church leaders and Christian advocacy organizations. Nigeria’s Plateau State has been the site of ongoing targeted violence against Christian communities for years.
Why has no attorney sued AQAP out of business in an international court? Seems like a judgement for promoting terrorist activity could freeze their assets. No brave lawyers out there?