FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Tuesday morning that the agency thwarted an alleged terrorist plot against the White House UFC event. The plot allegedly involved using drones to create explosions on nearby buildings and employing snipers to shoot eventgoers as they attempted to evacuate.
“On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region – and thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel posted on X.
The alleged would-be terrorists reportedly used Signal to communicate. Their motives included going after “capitalist elites” and pro-Israel donors to AIPAC.
Five people were in custody as of Monday, and investigators identified 23 people as part of a potential network of plotters. The alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team, officials said.
A "second wave" was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, according to officials.
The FBI learned of the plot last week and quickly began to find and arrest suspects. At least 23 Signal users were involved in the chat.
"In the days leading up to this weekend, our special agents, mission support personnel, and technical security teams worked around the clock to identify those responsible and hold them accountable," Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement. "Equally important to our protective mission is ensuring accountability through the justice system. To that end, our formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made through court filings."
Fox News reports:
FBI Director Kash Patel credited the FBI, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and law enforcement partners with acting quickly across multiple states to prevent the alleged attack.
"Thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold," Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Patel said the operation showed the FBI’s ability to respond quickly when threats emerge.
"While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team," Patel said. "We are built to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens — particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight. That’s exactly what we did here."
"This is what happens when people turn the rhetoric up so loud that disagreeing with somebody is a cause for violence," Vice President JD Vance told Fox & Friends on Tuesday. "We got to tell everybody to tone it down."
"Everybody has a role to cut this stuff out," Vance continued. "But I think a lot of my Democratic colleagues in Washington have got to look themselves in the mirror and say, Why is so much of this political violence coming from our side of the spectrum?"
The vice president is right. The rhetoric from the left is getting out of hand. When will it stop?
Recommended: The Left Warned World Cup Tourists About the South. Then One German Fell in Love With It.
Editor's Note: Do you enjoy PJ Media's conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member