American court records revealed details of an alleged conspiracy targeting the “UFC America 250” event, which was held at the White House in the presence of US President Donald Trump, government officials and prominent figures, by using drones loaded with explosives and snipers to carry out a coordinated attack.
On Tuesday, the FBI announced that the plan had been thwarted, while a law enforcement source told CBS News that five people were in custody.
American media published pictures of two men from Southern California, Brian Rowe and Michael Thomas, who it said were part of the plan.
According to court files, Tyson Propper (19 years old) was arrested in Ohio and faces four charges, including attempted murder of a federal officer and conspiracy to commit a crime against the United States.
According to the testimony of an FBI agent, Propper admitted during his interrogation to planning with others a coordinated attack during the UFC event that was held last Sunday at the White House to coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday.
Investigations showed that communication between the group members began through a group on the “Tik Tok” application, before moving to the encrypted “Signal” application, where the attack was planned.
The testimony revealed that the plan was to launch small drones loaded with explosive devices over the event site to create panic and push attendees to evacuate towards specific areas, where snipers and gunmen were stationed to target attendees and figures described as “high value,” including politicians and the wealthy.
Investigations also showed that the group members discussed the locations of snipers, escape plans, and the locations of “safe houses” after carrying out the operation, while a large quantity of ammunition, clothing, and tactical equipment was found during the search of Proper’s home.
According to the FBI, the investigation began after a report from the suspect’s mother, who expressed concerns about his behavior, recent statements, and purchases of weapons and military equipment.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the authorities thwarted the entire scheme before it was implemented, noting that the operation was carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice and law enforcement agencies in several states.
For his part, Deputy Director of the US Secret Service, Matt Quinn, described the threat as “dangerous,” stressing that the event itself was not in danger thanks to proactive measures and security investigations.
