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The FBI announced this Tuesday a purported multi-phase terrorist plot targeting the mixed martial arts event held on Sunday in the south lawn of the White House, according to the agency's director, Kash Patel.
Patel revealed that the FBI became aware of the threat on June 10, six days before the event, and that a multi-state operation allowed for multiple individuals to be taken into custody and completely thwart the planned attacks.
"On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a possible threat against the UFC America 250 event in Washington DC, involving individuals outside the National Capital region," Patel wrote on X.
"Thanks to the swift action of the FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in an operation that spanned several states, several individuals are now in custody and the alleged planned attacks have been completely thwarted," the senior U.S. official added.
The FBI director added that the outcome "represented the best of investigative work" but that "it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team."
He also recalled that the agency is "prepared to detect, respond to, and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens, particularly during large gatherings."
A senior official from law enforcement confirmed to NBC News that the threat was "quite serious."
A three-phase plan
According to reports from Fox News shared by Patel himself, the alleged plot was designed in several coordinated stages.
In the initial phase, the attackers reportedly used drones loaded with explosives to target nearby buildings and cause a massive evacuation of attendees.
In a second phase, a team of snipers would have aimed at the fleeing crowds.
A third phase of the plan envisioned that other alleged participants would break in through one of the entrances of the White House.
Researchers found encrypted chats on the Signal application involving at least 23 individuals discussing pre-operational activities related to the attack.
NBC News specified that it was unable to independently verify all the details of the alleged plot.
Detained in several states
At least five suspects were arrested as part of the multi-state FBI operation.
One of them was arrested in Cincinnati, Ohio, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, in what authorities described as at the White House.
The FBI stated that the investigation is ongoing and encouraged any citizen to report suspicious activity to 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The event that was the target of the plot
The UFC Freedom 250 was the first of its kind in the history of the White House: a mixed martial arts event held on Sunday in the south lawn, coinciding with the 80th birthday of President Donald Trump and the 250th anniversary of the independence of the United States.
More than 4,000 selected guests witnessed a historic evening where all seven fights ended in knockout or TKO, an unprecedented event in UFC history.
The main event featured American Justin Gaethje against the undefeated Ilia Topuria, with Gaethje winning by corner stoppage in the fourth round.
Among those in attendance were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Patel himself, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The cost of the event, fully covered by the UFC, was 60 million dollars.
After the event, UFC president Dana White stated that the event was a success but that “it will never happen again” due to the costs and the unpredictable variables of outdoor events.
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