Federal agents last weekend thwarted “planned attacks” targeting a UFC fight event held at the White House. Several people were arrested, as stated by FBI Director Kash Patel on Tuesday (18).
Sources close to the investigation revealed that the plan included the use of drones loaded with explosives. The target of these artifacts would be buildings located in the immediate vicinity of the place where the event was taking place. More details are awaited, after the official publication of the accusations later this Tuesday.
A law enforcement source, who requested anonymity to discuss information not made public, said five individuals were detained. The arrests took place in several states, including Ohio, Missouri and California.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was alerted to the potential threat on June 10, four days before the mixed martial arts event, which took place on the South Lawn of the White House. In a post on
In a separate statement, Secret Service Director Sean Curran highlighted that the agency “worked tirelessly to identify those responsible and hold them accountable.”
Law enforcement authorities told ESPN that a total of 14 people were arrested during the three-day event, among the tens of thousands of participants. The arrests were for a variety of crimes, including disorderly conduct and drug possession. As of Tuesday morning, the UFC had not released the exact number of visitors to the Lincoln Memorial or the Ellipse for the press conference and two-day fan festival.
President Donald Trump, who celebrated his 80th birthday at the UFC event on Sunday, sought to draw a connection between the fights and broader celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.