105 US Lawmakers Urge FBI to Investigate Alleged Illinois Hindu Temple Attack as Hate Crime

Washington — A bipartisan group of 105 U.S. lawmakers has called on the FBI to investigate an alleged attempt to carry out a mass shooting at a Hindu temple in Illinois as a potential federal hate crime, raising concerns about threats targeting Indian Americans and other South Asian communities.

The congressional appeal was led by Indian American Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who was attending religious services with his family at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora when the alleged attack occurred on October 11.

In a letter sent Tuesday to FBI Director Kash Patel, the lawmakers requested a comprehensive federal investigation into the incident, including whether the suspect was motivated by racial or religious hatred and whether additional individuals helped plan or encourage the alleged violence.

The letter was signed by all Indian American members of Congress, the entire Illinois Democratic delegation in the House of Representatives and Senators Dick Durbin, Tammy Duckworth, Andy Kim and Chris Van Hollen.

According to prosecutors, 19-year-old Alexandros Paporakis of Palatine, Illinois, traveled to the temple intending to carry out a mass shooting but abandoned the alleged attack after his rifle malfunctioned.

Authorities said Paporakis was arrested later that day after a coworker contacted police with information suggesting that he intended to return to the temple.

Prosecutors allege that the suspect identified himself as a neo-Nazi and had prepared an eight-page white supremacist manifesto outlining plans to commit violence against people of Indian descent at a Hindu religious institution.

Investigators recovered a rifle, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and materials containing white supremacist imagery, according to the congressional letter.

Paporakis faces charges of making a terrorist threat and unlawful possession of weapons. The allegations against him have not been proven in court.

“The alleged combination of targeted racial hatred, a religious setting, and preparations for mass violence demands a comprehensive federal response,” the lawmakers wrote.

While acknowledging the FBI’s reported assistance to local law enforcement, the congressional delegation urged federal investigators to determine whether the alleged plot involved violations of federal hate crime laws.

The lawmakers also expressed concern about what they described as a broader increase in hostility toward Indian Americans, Hindus, Sikhs and other South Asian communities, particularly on social media.

Citing a September 2026 study by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, the letter noted that more than 542,000 posts containing anti-South Asian hateful content appeared on X between January 2025 and June 2026.

The study also found that the monthly volume of such posts increased approximately 240% between January 2024 and June 2026.

A separate survey by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that 48% of Indian American respondents reported frequently encountering racist online content targeting their community since the beginning of 2025.

Beyond online harassment, the lawmakers raised concerns about social media communications from federal agencies that they argued could reinforce harmful racial and religious stereotypes.

They cited a September Department of Homeland Security post featuring an image of a Sikh man accompanied by the message, “Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh.”

The post was later removed following criticism. DHS maintained that the message referred to a specific individual accused of involvement in a fatal traffic accident.

The congressional letter also referenced a Department of Education social media post issued after complaints involving South Asian spectators at a University of Texas football game.

“We believe such messaging risks lending governmental legitimacy to racial and religious stereotyping,” the lawmakers stated.

As part of their request, the lawmakers asked the FBI to clarify whether investigators were reviewing the suspect’s online communications and examining the possibility that other individuals provided assistance or encouragement.

They also sought details about the bureau’s ability to identify credible threats against religious communities, coordinate intelligence with local law enforcement agencies and protect houses of worship that could be targeted by extremist violence.

The delegation requested a written response from the FBI by October 29, including information about whether investigators were considering both racial and religious bias as possible motivations.

“No one should fear being targeted because of their ancestry, appearance, or faith, and no congregation should have to wonder whether gathering for worship will make its members targets of mass violence,” the lawmakers wrote.

The incident has drawn attention to security concerns among Indian American religious and cultural organizations, particularly Hindu temples and Sikh gurdwaras, which serve as important gathering places for South Asian communities across the United States.

Illinois is home to a substantial Indian American population, with religious institutions such as the Aurora temple playing a central role in community life.

The lawmakers’ appeal underscores growing demands for federal law enforcement to examine threats against minority religious institutions and determine whether incidents involving alleged extremist motivations warrant prosecution under federal hate crime statutes. (Source: IANS)