August M
Big birthday celebrations usually call for cake, family, and tight security.
But when a high-profile political figure celebrates a major milestone, hidden dangers can quickly turn a party into a target, reports TV 2 News.
Drones on the lawn
Federal authorities have uncovered a wild plot to attack a major sports event hosted right outside the Oval Office. According to TV2 News, a total of seven people are now in custody for planning an assault during a special celebration.
The target was a mixed martial arts event held on June 14 to mark Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. He watched from the front row. Meanwhile, a secret danger loomed.
AFP reported that the US Department of Justice announced two new arrests on Monday. Law enforcement picked up the suspects in Missouri and Washington, accusing them of helping to plan a mass murder.
Chilling encrypted maps
These latest suspects allegedly brought technical skills to the conspiracy. Investigators say one man knew how to handle drones and discussed rigging them with explosives to fly over the crowd.
The other newly arrested man allegedly agreed to build parts for the flying devices. Their goal was horrifying. They wanted to send drones into the party and shoot guests as they ran away.
It remains unclear how close the group came to launching the attack. However, AP reported that the FBI found encrypted messages from about 20 people sharing detailed maps and planning escape routes.
A mother’s call
The whole conspiracy started to unravel thanks to an unexpected tip from a family member. Reuters reported that the mother of a 19-year-old suspect called the police after she noticed her son buying multiple weapons.
She also worried about the dangerous people he was talking to online. According to an FBI statement, the teenager later admitted he knew about the planned attack on the martial arts matches.
Court documents obtained by Reuters show the original five suspects follow anti-government conspiracy theories. They were reportedly furious over how officials handled documents related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Sources: TV2 News, AFP, AP, Reuters
