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The event was held on Sunday, as US President Donald Trump celebrated his 80th birthday
The FBI thwarted a plot targeting Sunday’s UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House, and has taken multiple suspects into custody, according to the agency’s head, Kash Patel.
“Allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold,” Patel said in a social media post on Tuesday about the “multi-state operation”.
Part of the plan involved striking nearby buildings with explosive-laden drones, two sources told the BBC’s US news partner CBS News.
A suspect was taken into custody in Cincinnati last week, CBS also reported, and investigators obtained access to Signal chats in which alleged plotters discussed the plan.
The BBC has requested further comment from the FBI.
By using the drones, the plotters aimed to spark panic and draw the fleeing crowd toward a sniper team, the sources also told CBS. A “second wave” of attackers would have then allegedly attempted to storm the White House gate.
Patel’s statement on X did not confirm those details – though he did post a link to a report by Fox News that included them.
Fox also reported that five people were in custody.
“We are built to detect, respond to and bring to justice those who threaten the lives of American citizens – particularly during large gatherings like the historic UFC 250 fight,” Patel added in his post.
The Secret Service worked “closely with the FBI throughout this investigation,” and their “formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made available in court filings”, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement.
On Sunday, as part of the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the White House hosted a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) matches on the South Lawn.
An estimated 4,300 people were present for the invite-only event on the South Lawn – and another 85,000 were able to watch at a nearby fan zone as 14 fighters competed in back-to-back fights.
The event coincided with Trump’s 80th birthday. Some members of his administration were in attendance, as were some celebrities.
The thwarted attack comes some two months after a shooting at the White House Correspondents dinner, where Trump was in attendance and one month after a man was killed by Secret Service agents after opening fire at White House checkpoint.
