Teen arrested for plotting mass shooting at Dallas area mall

A student at Plano West Senior High School is suspected of plotting to commit a mass shooting at Frisco’s Stonebriar Centre mall. Both cities are northern suburbs of Dallas. Like many who live in my area, I have been to Stonebriar many times.

Matin Azizi-Yarand, age seventeen, was taken into custody Tuesday and is being held in lieu of $3 million bail. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Authorities say his ISIS-inspired attack was planned for Ramadan (which begins this year on May 15) to minimize the danger to Muslims. He was working to purchase weapons and tactical gear and had written a “Message to America” explaining his reasons for the attack.

He intended to kill a police officer at the mall, set stores on fire, and perhaps take hostages as well. His plot was discovered by FBI confidential sources and an undercover employee.

Terrorism is not just a story we read about from Syria or Afghanistan. It is a very real possibility anywhere in the world, including my neighborhood and yours. This is another reason America needs the National Day of Prayer we observe today.

Praying for “the next great move of God in America”

America has observed specific days of prayer since 1688. President Harry Truman made the National Day of Prayer an annual observance in 1952. His reason: “In times of national crisis when we are striving to strengthen the foundations of peace . . . we stand in special need of Divine support.”

This year’s theme is “Pray for America–UNITY.” The theme verse is Ephesians 4:3: “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Those who organized today’s observance are calling us to “humble ourselves and unify in prevailing prayer for the next great move of God in America.” They believe Christians can “come together in clear agreement that this is our greatest need.”

I agree.

Religion is “the safeguard of morality”

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French diplomat,…