Eight charged in conspiracy to assassinate Trump at White House MMA event
Eight men face criminal charges for allegedly plotting to kill Donald Trump and other officials during a birthday MMA event at the White House.
Eight charged in conspiracy to assassinate Trump at White House MMA event
The US Department of Justice has announced criminal charges against eight men accused of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump and other government officials during a mixed martial arts event held at the White House for his birthday.
According to federal authorities, the suspects, aged between 19 and 32, allegedly planned to fly explosive-laden drones into the MMA arena. The goal was to force an evacuation of the area and create an opening for snipers to shoot and kill officials present at the event.
The targets reportedly included Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, federal officials, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was not in attendance.
The eight suspects, who come from different states, are jointly accused in the same case, which is being investigated in Ohio. They face two charges: conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to commit murder of a government official.
Investigators say the group used online chat platforms to coordinate their attack plan, recruit members, and encourage the execution of the plot.
The Justice Department first announced arrests and charges on June 16, days before the event, against five men aged 19-32 from California, Nebraska, and Missouri. Two more men were arrested later in June by the FBI — one in Washington state and another in Missouri. The eighth suspect, 21-year-old Chandler D. Skaggs from West Virginia, was taken into custody this week. He had allegedly been assigned the role of one of the snipers in the planned attack.
The event took place on June 14, when Trump celebrated his 80th birthday by converting the White House grounds into an MMA arena. More than 4,000 guests gathered around the fighting ring for the politically charged spectacle.
Source: Efimerida ton Syntakton
Source: Efimerida ton Syntakton