DECATUR -- The man accused of trying to blow up a federal building in Springfield reportedly moved to Decatur to attend the city's mosque, but an imam there said he showed no hint of what he's accused of doing.

According to Macon County records, Michael C. Finton, 29, lived about a block away from Masjid Wali Hasan Islamic Center, at 1807 N. Edward St. One federal agent's testimony said Finton told operatives he had moved to Decatur to attend the mosque.

Imam Mohammed Farooqui said Finton attended the mosque sporadically to offer prayer, starting about two years ago. Farooqui said he had some conversations with Finton but nothing hinted at the sort of behavior described in the allegations.

"We saw him maybe a week ago," Farooqui said. "When I heard (the allegations) I was really shocked. We would talk after prayer ... but not anything suspicious."

Finton, who prosecutors say also went by the alias of "Talib Islam," is charged with attempted murder of federal employees and attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

Finton's arrest capped two years of undercover work by the FBI, culminating Wednesday when Finton drove a van containing what he thought were explosives and parked it in front of the downtown federal building.

Farooqui said he hopes the allegations against Finton don't send the wrong message about the Islamic center.

"This is not our teaching," Farooqui said of the allegations. "We don't have that kind of belief. We never teach these kinds of things."

Farooqui said the Islamic center has not been contacted by authorities.

Tenants in an apartment building at 1017 W. Main St., Decatur, confirmed Thursday that Finton also lived there on and off over the past couple of years. Tenants said law enforcement officials descended on Finton's apartment and removed possessions late Wednesday evening.

Vivian Laster, another tenant at the building, said Finton was amiable and didn't at all seem like a dangerous person.

"He was very nice," Laster said. "He was practicing the Muslim religion, and that's all I know. He was just a very normal person."

Finton reportedly worked as a part-time cook at Seal's Chicken and Fish.

Kurt Erickson contributed to this report.