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'The Guy Has Issues': Philadelphia Officials Speak Out About Arrest Of Alleged Terror Suspect Demetrius Pitts

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Security will be stepped up in Philadelphia for the annual Welcome America Celebration, especially in light of developments from the FBI that an alleged terror suspect discussed an attack on Philadelphia.

Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts
Credit: FBI

The FBI says Demetrius Pitts targeted the Federal Building and City Hall, boasting he could pull off the delivery of a truck bomb. Pitts allegedly told agents it would be easy because it was never tried in Philadelphia.

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"Obviously, the guy has issues and thankfully federal law enforcement was able to track him and get him into custody and stop him from doing harm," said Mayor Jim Kenney.

A former co-worker who spoke to CBS3 on the condition of anonymity said Pitts lived in Philadelphia for three years, and claims he suffered from mental illness. She says they met while working in Florida on the 2008 presidential campaign to elect Barack Obama.

Pitts was arrested Monday in connection to plotting an Independence Day attack in Cleveland, Ohio.

"There is nothing to suggest this individual was working in conjunction with anyone else and that seems to be fairly definitive at the moment," said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross.

Officials conceded it's not known if Pitts was even capable of executing his plans, as laid out in detail by federal authorities.

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"He apparently had some thoughts or designs on doing something here," said Ross. "He was not able to do that."

"I really want to thank the FBI and ATF and all those involved out in Ohio to get this guy off the street and alert us to what was coming," said Kenney.

Ross says there's no credible threats aimed at Philadelphia.

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