Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas man indicted on terrorism, weapon charges is in custody

Mork

John Locher / AP

Las Vegas police and SWAT officers surround a home of Nicolai Howard Mork as they clear the property, Wednesday, April 5, 2017, in Las Vegas. Mork, who had been free on bail for three months while fighting explosives and firearms charges, was arrested late Wednesday on counts of terrorism and possession of weapons of mass destruction.

Updated Wednesday, April 5, 2017 | 8 p.m.

Nicolai Howard Mork

Nicolai Howard Mork

A Las Vegas man accused of keeping chemicals at his house that could be used to make an explosive device has been arrested on terrorism-related charges, according to Metro Police and a criminal complaint.

Nicolai Howard Mork, who on Wednesday was indicted by a grand jury, faces counts of acts of terrorism or attempted acts of terrorism and unlawful acts related to mass destruction, according to a court spokeswoman.

The Seattle native was arrested Dec. 30 and initially faced charges that he illegally possessed explosives, a silencer and a gun with a serial number removed. He was subsequently released after posting $220,000 bail, according to court records.

But after the Wednesday indictment, District Judge Douglas Herndon raised bail to $8 million and issued a warrant for Mork’s arrest, records show.

Hours after the warrant was issued, Mork was arrested at one of his homes in a south valley neighborhood Wednesday evening, Metro Sgt. Jeff Clark said. Police evacuated nearby houses as a precaution because of the seriousness of the charges, he added.

Detectives contacted Mork via phone and he exited his house without incident, Clark said.

Mork's defense attorney, Nicholas Wooldridge, expressed shock at the new charges against his 40-year-old client in Nevada state court.

Most of the chemicals were found in two closets at Mork’s house at an undisclosed location, according to the Metro arrest report and call logs.

Detectives discovered 251 pounds of ammonium nitrate and 26 pounds of aluminum powder, which if properly mixed, could create a blast that could cause substantial damage to the house and surrounding homes, police said. Just 100 pounds of such a mixture could destroy a semitruck, police said.

About 33 pounds of the chemicals were already mixed, police said.

The mixture is mainly used for targets that explode when hit by a high-velocity bullet but can also be detonated with a blasting cap, police said. The normal amount for an exploding target is about 8 ounces, police said.

“Due to the materials Mork had on hand, and how they were arranged and stored within his residence, I believe that Mork intended to utilize the components in his possession to create explosive and/or incendiary devices,” a Metro officer wrote in the arrest report.

An FBI spokeswoman in Las Vegas said the bureau wasn't involved in the case. Officials at several gun stores and a public gun range in Las Vegas declined to comment about the commercial availability of explosive targets.

Metro Deputy Chief Chris Jones, who heads the police department's Homeland Security unit, said the investigation arose after several explosions in two neighborhoods where Mork lived, and complaints by neighbors about damage to their property.

"Devices had either exploded or were found unexploded," Jones said. "They clearly were not being used for legal purposes."

Judge Herndon ruled that because of the seriousness of the charges, Mork will have to show the source of money used for his bail.

Wooldridge said Mork has a master's degree in business administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.