FBI foils alleged attacks planned for WH UFC event: Director

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on Tuesday that it has foiled alleged attacks planned for a White House Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held on Sunday to mark President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and America's 250th anniversary, reported Xinhua.

"On June 10, FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat to the UFC America 250 event in Washington, D.C. involving individuals outside of the National Capital Region," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on social media platform X.

"Multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold," he added.

Officials were quoted by Fox News as saying that the alleged plan involved using explosive-laden drones to hit buildings near the event, force a mass evacuation and steer crowds toward a pre-staged sniper team.

Five people were in custody as of Monday, and investigators have identified 23 people as part of a potential network of plotters, officials said, noting that a "second wave" was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate.

The unprecedented cage-fighting show on the South Lawn of the White House has sparked legal challenges, with two Virginia residents arguing that it was unlawful. But on Friday, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia declined to block the UFC event, allowing preparations to move forward.

Roughly 4,000 spectators attended the high-profile event on Sunday.

The alleged attempted attacks are part of a broader rise in political violence across the country.

In April, a man armed with guns and knives ran through a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and was charged with attempting to assassinate the president.