Alabama teen free on bail in alleged school terror plot

Russell County, AL, United States (4E) – A 17-year-old boy from Russell County, Alabama has been released on bail Monday after being detained two days ago for allegedly planning terrorist attacks in his high school.

According to Prosecutor Buster Landreau, Derek Shrout’s bond was set at $75,000 and District Judge David Johnson issued some conditions before his release that stated Shrout must remain at home and was ordered to wear an electric monitoring device, and he is not allowed to contact anyone at Russell County High School.

Reports claimed the teenager pleaded not guilty to attempted assault.

Shrout was arrested after a teacher discovered a journal with plans that appear to be potential terrorist attacks, and attacks of violence and danger on the school,” said Russell County Sheriff Heath Taylor on Saturday.

Taylor added six students were specifically named, and one teacher.

The sheriff believed Shrout “put a lot of thought into his writings and there was more than just writing a story in a journal and it being fictitious.”

Jeremy Armstrong, the teen’s lawyer, told reporters that this was just a lot of talk from his client and he believed Shrout had no intentions to hurt anyone.

Authorities showed 25 tobacco tins and two larger ones, each with holes drilled in them and pellets inside. It was determined that with added elements, the tins “would absolutely blow up exactly the way he wrote it,” said the sheriff.

It was reported that Shrout started his journal after the Newtown, Connecticut elementary school shooting that caused the death of 27 people, including the gunman.

Shrout’s lawyer claimed his client’s case may have been blown out of proportion because of what happened in Newtown.

The teen is scheduled to appear on court on February 12.

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