Eight Indicted Over Alleged Drone-and-Sniper Plot Against White House MMA Gathering

Eight men face federal terrorism and murder charges for an alleged plot to bomb and shoot attendees at a White House MMA event marking Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

Eight Indicted Over Alleged Drone-and-Sniper Plot Against White House MMA Gathering

Federal prosecutors in Ohio have charged eight individuals with terrorism and homicide conspiracy in connection with a scheme to strike a combat-sports celebration on the White House grounds. The accused, all between 19 and 32, allegedly intended to deploy drones packed with explosives near the MMA venue to force an evacuation, then have hidden gunmen shoot senior figures as they fled, Medias24 reports.

The gathering on 14 June marked the former president's eightieth birthday and drew more than four thousand invitees. Among those the conspirators allegedly hoped to kill were the sitting president, his deputy, other federal leaders, and Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who was not present.

Investigators say the group coordinated through internet chat channels to recruit helpers and keep morale high for the operation. The first five arrests were disclosed on 16 June across California, Nebraska, and Missouri. The FBI later picked up two additional suspects in Washington state and Missouri. A final detainee, Chandler D. Scaggs, a 21-year-old from West Virginia, was taken into custody this week and is believed to have been tapped as one of the gunmen.

The Justice Department is pursuing two felony counts: conspiracy to aid a terrorist organization and conspiracy to murder or assassinate a government officer.

Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)