Rep. Sheehan Blasts Release of Molotov Cocktail Suspect, Praises Mokena Police and Prosecutors (Mokena, IL) – State Rep. Patrick Sheehan is demanding answers after a Will County judge released a man accused of possessing eight Molotov cocktails on GPS electronic monitoring, despite prosecutors seeking to keep him detained.
Mokena police arrested Hamed M. Alsaidi on Aug. 1 after officers reportedly observed him walking in traffic and allegedly providing a false name. According to prosecutors, a search of his backpack uncovered eight gasoline-filled bottles equipped with wicks, along with a handwritten map that prosecutors said appeared to reference the Orland Park Prayer Center.
Federal court records identify Alsaidi as a Jordanian national who entered the United States without inspection in March 2024.
Will County prosecutors sought to detain Alsaidi, citing the alleged Molotov cocktails, an active order of protection involving Orland Park residents and addresses, and two prior determinations of inadmissibility to the United States.
Will County Judge Theodore Jarz denied the detention request and ordered Alsaidi released with GPS electronic monitoring.
“Police allegedly found eight Molotov cocktails in this man’s backpack, yet he was sent home with an ankle monitor,” Sheehan said. “A man who entered this country illegally, gave police a false identity, and was considered a serious flight risk was released after prosecutors asked to keep him detained. How could that possibly happen?”
The case has also raised questions about communication between Will County authorities and federal immigration officials.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reportedly lodged a detainer with Will County on the day of Alsaidi’s arrest. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the detainer was not honored and Alsaidi was released without ICE being notified.
Federal agents subsequently located and arrested Alsaidi two days after his release.
ABC7 Chicago also reported, citing Cook County records, that Alsaidi had been arrested on a domestic-battery charge in October 2025.
Sheehan criticized the decision to release Alsaidi and argued that the circumstances demonstrate problems with Illinois’ criminal justice and immigration policies.
“Prosecutors put every warning sign directly in front of the court,” Sheehan said. “The judge’s answer was an ankle monitor, and Will County released him without telling ICE. Governor Pritzker can bury this under legal language, but the facts remain: prosecutors asked for detention, the judge denied it, and a criminal illegal accused of carrying eight Molotov cocktails was set free.”
Sheehan praised Mokena police officers and Will County prosecutors for their handling of the case while criticizing the broader system.
“Mokena Police and Will County prosecutors did their jobs and the system failed them,” Sheehan said. “Illinois residents deserve so much better.”
Sheehan represents Illinois’ 37th District.
Rep. Sheehan Blasts Release of Molotov Cocktail Suspect, Praises Mokena Police and Prosecutors
