The US Department of Justice has charged five men over an alleged plot to attack the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held at the White House on Sunday, federal authorities said. The plot allegedly involved deploying explosive-laden drones and snipers to kill government officials and attendees.
The FBI made arrests over the weekend in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska and California. The five suspects were identified as Tycen C Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of Calimesa, California; Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills, California; Daniel K Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska.
According to a criminal complaint, Proper told authorities that the group planned to first hold a demonstration outside the White House, then fly drones laden with explosives over the fights and detonate them. The explosions were intended to force the crowd to evacuate, at which point attackers would fire on them with guns. Proper allegedly said the attack was designed to 'jumpstart' a revolution in the United States.
FBI Director Kash Patel praised the operation, stating: 'While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team – 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.'
The plot came to the FBI's attention on 10 June, when Proper's mother contacted police about her son's behaviour and firearms purchases. Proper was admitted to hospital for homicidal ideation and later interviewed by authorities. Fox News reported that investigators had identified 23 people potentially involved in the plot.
