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5 arrested after FBI foils drone, sniper plot during White House fight night
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US law enforcement on Tuesday said it had foiled a plot to attack the White House during a crowded mixed martial arts event attended by President Donald Trump and other top officials.
“Thanks to the rapid action of the 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,” FBI Director Kash Patel announced on social media.
His post included a caption of a Fox News headline reading: “FBI disrupts alleged explosive-drone plot targeting White House UFC event, officials say.”
Trump on Sunday joined thousands of fans at the unprecedented White House fights, where a temporary arena dubbed “The Claw” was erected on the South Lawn.
Fox News reported that five people had been taken into custody, according to unnamed US officials, with investigators identifying 23 people in a “potential network of plotters” who allegedly communicated in a Signal group chat.
The plan allegedly would have involved using drones to hit buildings near the White House during the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contest, thereby prompting a mass evacuation that would “steer crowds towards a pre-staged sniper team”, Fox News said.
