The FBI says it has disrupted an alleged plot targeting the planned UFC event at the White House. According to the bureau, the scheme involved the use of explosive drones, and sources say five people are now in custody as investigators work to establish the full scope of what was being planned.
The alleged plan, as it has been described, centred on flying drones carrying explosives into the area and using them to hit buildings, causing panic and forcing a mass evacuation of people from the event. It was, by the account given, intended to be carried out in layers rather than as a single act.
After triggering that evacuation, the plotters allegedly intended to rush a security checkpoint, adding a second stage to the attack as crowds began trying to move away from the scene. The idea, according to the description, was to exploit the confusion created by the first phase.
A further element described involved pre-staged snipers positioned to shoot people who were fleeing, potentially at locations such as metro stops and subways where those leaving would be further from a heavy law enforcement presence. That part of the plan, investigators suggested, would have required a greater degree of expertise than the rest.
Investigators believe the plot was not the work of a small handful of people alone. While five people have been taken into custody, sources indicate that at least 23 people are thought to have been involved in some way, pointing to a wider network behind the alleged scheme.
According to the account, some of the plans were discussed on encrypted chat services, with Signal mentioned among the platforms used. The FBI is also said to have intercepted communications involving others through WhatsApp or similar sites, which helped expose the scale of those taking part.
The investigation is described as far from over. With so many people potentially connected to the plan, authorities are now working to determine who those involved were in contact with, and whether the same blueprint could have been directed at other locations beyond the one targeted.
It was also noted that while learning to fly drones and fit them with explosives is unfortunately within reach of many people today, given how widely drones are now used, positioning trained snipers would demand a higher level of skill. The sheer number of people involved, it was suggested, also made the plan harder to keep concealed, which can help explain how it came to light.