Suspected Lauderdale Airport Gunman Said He Frequented ISIL Dark Web
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FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - The man who reportedly went on a deadly shooting rampage inside a Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport baggage claim area was in court on Tuesday.
Clad in a red jail jumpsuit, shooter Esteban Santiago was taken from Broward's main jail to the federal courthouse where he went before a judge for a detention hearing.
During the hearing prosecutors requested that the judge deny the 26-year-old Santiago bond.
An FBI agent testified that during questioning, Santiago said that the shooting was terrorist related. He reportedly said he had been in Jihadist chat rooms and had been in contact with the dark web and deep net. He reportedly told his interrogators that he was in contact with ISIL and these like-minded individuals were all planning attacks.
FBI is currently trying to prove Santiago's statements, they've seized computers from his house and his family.
The FBI agent also testified that during questioning Santiago made no mention of mind control or hearing voices. However, during an interrogation by Broward Sheriff's investigators, Santiago reportedly did mention hearing voices.
Last November, Santiago walked into an FBI field office in Alaska and said that he was hearing voices, the U.S. government was controlling his mind and they were forcing him to watch Islamic State group videos
During Tuesday's hearing the prosecutor presented Santiago's records from his five day stay at a psychiatric facility in Anchorage. The records show he was only given anti-anxiety medication and melatonin. No psychiatric medication was prescribed.
Santiago is accused of killing five people and injuring six others on January 6th in a baggage claim area of Terminal 2.
The FBI says that after Santiago flew from Anchorage to Fort Lauderdale, he took a 9mm handgun out of a checked gun box, loaded it in a bathroom and emerged firing.
Santiago reportedly told investigators that he planned the attack and bought a one-way ticket to the Fort Lauderdale airport.
Relatives say Santiago was having mental issues after serving in Iraq.
Related: Brother Of Airport Shooting Suspect Said Govt. Failed Him
Santiago faces airport violence and firearms charges. If he's convicted, he could be facing the death penalty. He has been held without bail since his arrest after the shooting.
At the end of the hearing, the judge ordered that Santiago remain in detention. His next court, an arraignment, will be held Monday, January 30th.
