"computer warned suspect's father", FBI arrested five people planning terrorist attacks near the White House

FBI Director Kash Patel announced that five people have been arrested as suspects for involvement in a failed terrorist plot, Periscopi broadcast.

The attack was scheduled to be carried out last Sunday against the White House, where the UFC Freedom 250 martial arts event was being held, organised to mark President Donald Trump's 80th birthday.

According to federal authorities, at least 12 persons scattered into four different countries were involved in this suspected network: California, Ohio, Missouri and Nebraska. The FBI managed to detect plans after infiltrated a communications group coded on the Signal app.

The first alarm signal came from the father of one of the suspects, who announced the police after seeing his son's messages. The group had planned to meet in Fredericksburg, Virginia, before traveling to Washington to implement the plan.

Their plan included the use of drones loaded with explosives against the White House and surrounding government buildings. According to the FBI, the goal was to create panic to force guests to leave the compound, where they would then be attacked by an outside sniper team.

Some American media suggest that suspects belong to a “accelerator” (acclerationist), an extremist movement aimed at bringing down the political and economic system through violence to trigger radical changes. Investigators believe the group's main targets were “capitalist principles”, <x2milliards” and politicians supported by pro-Israeln groups.

FBI Director Patel clarified through a message on the social X network that law enforcement agencies were informed of the threat on June 10th, four days before Spanish champion Ilia Topuria participated in. He stressed that thanks to a co-ordinated interstate operation, the attack was “halted in the country” before execution.

From the G7 summit in France, President Donald Trump said Tuesday he had no knowledge of this plan and added ironically that “the only attacks he saw were those of the UFC fighters in cage”.

The investigation into the case remains open and authorities do not rule out the possibility of further arrests in the coming days. / ET