The FBI has announced the interception of a suspected plan to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington DC. Five individuals have been apprehended, with 23 others identified as potential associates in the alleged conspiracy, according to the Bureau.
The scheme reportedly involved using drones loaded with explosives to target buildings near the event location on Sunday, triggering a mass evacuation and directing crowds toward a predetermined sniper team, as per officials. Additionally, a “second wave” plan was allegedly in place to breach the White House gate.
Authorities first learned of the plot on June 10 when an individual was detained in Cincinnati, leading to the discovery of Signal chats where multiple individuals allegedly discussed targeting the UFC event. Officials mentioned that one suspect’s iPhone contained conversations among at least 23 Signal users coordinating pre-operational activities, some of whom intended to travel to Fredericksburg, Virginia, on June 12 or 13 to prepare for the assault.
One suspect purportedly aimed to target capitalist elites and politicians who received donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The operation involved at least 12 FBI field offices.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated, “On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners were made aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C., involving individuals from outside the National Capital Region. Thanks to swift action by the FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody, and planned attacks were averted.”
Patel added, “This law enforcement team is adept at detecting, responding to, and bringing to justice those who pose a threat to American lives, especially during significant events like the historic UFC 250 fight. We will continue to update the public as the investigation progresses and encourage reporting of any suspicious activities to 1-800-CALL-FBI or http://tips.fbi.gov.”
