US University student accused of terrorist threat attempt

EDWARDSVILLE: A Southern Illinois University student has been accused of threatening a `murderous rampage' similar to the Virginia Tech university massacre that left 32 people and the gunman dead in April.

Prosecutors charged Olutosin Oduwole(22) on Tuesday with attempting to make a terrorist threat.

According to court documents, Oduwole wrote a note demanding payment to an online account, threatening that "if $50,000 (euro36,400) doesn't reach in this account in the next7 days then a murderous rampage similar to the VT shooting will occur at another highly populated university. THIS IS NOT A JOKE!"

Authorities found the note on Friday in Oduwole's car abandoned on campus, said SIU spokesman Greg Conroy. Police also allegedly found a loaded gun in Oduwole's apartment-style dorm on campus, as well a picture of Oduwole making gang signs, several notebooks, and US and Nigerian passports, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Investigators said in an affidavit that Oduwole had recently bought three .38-caliber semi-automatic guns online but had not yet received them and he also had ordered a .45-caliber semi-automatic gun similar to an Uzi.

A gun dealer alerted the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives because Oduwole "appeared very anxious to get these firearms and seemed very impatient", according to the affidavit.

Oduwole was released from jail on Wednesday on a $1 million (euro730,000) bond.