(NewsNation) — The United States prevented an alleged explosive-drone plot threatening the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C., FBI Director Kash Patel said Tuesday morning.
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Signal chats revealed 23 people “discussing pre-operational activity,” according to a Fox News report, which Patel shared.
Multiple people are in custody after the attacks were “stopped cold” as a result of a multistate operation, Patel said.
The historic UFC fight was held on the South Lawn of the White House on June 14, but Patel said the FBI became aware of the threat on June 10.
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“While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team,” Patel wrote on X. “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.”
The Secret Service worked with the FBI on the investigation.
“Our most important responsibility is safeguarding the President and every person under Secret Service protection,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement. “Equally important to our protective mission is ensuring accountability through the justice system. To that end, our formal comments regarding the specifics of this case will be made through court filings.”
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