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U.S. Soldier Who Discussed Bomb Plot Is Arrested in Kansas, Authorities Say F.B.I. Arrests U.S. Soldier Who Discussed Bomb Plot, Authorities Say
(about 2 hours later)
Federal authorities have arrested a United States soldier who discussed plans to attack a major news network, shared detailed instructions online about how to build explosives and suggested that Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic presidential candidate, could be a potential target, the authorities said. He had also expressed a desire to travel to Ukraine to fight with a paramilitary group. Federal authorities have arrested a United States soldier who discussed plans to attack a major American news network, shared detailed instructions online about how to build explosives and suggested that Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic presidential candidate, could be a potential target, the authorities said.
The soldier, Jarrett William Smith, 24, was arrested over the weekend and charged in federal court in Topeka, Kan., on Monday. The soldier, Jarrett William Smith, a specialist assigned to the first infantry division in Fort Riley, Kan., had also once expressed a desire to travel to Ukraine to fight with a far-right paramilitary group, the authorities said.
He was charged with one count of distributing information related to explosives and weapons of mass destruction, according to the United States Attorney’s Office in Kansas. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. Specialist Smith, 24, was arrested over the weekend and charged in federal court in Topeka, Kan., on Monday. He faces one count of distributing information related to explosives and weapons of mass destruction, according to the United States Attorney’s Office in Kansas.
Mr. Smith, a private class infantry soldier based in Fort Riley, Kan., joined the Army in 2017. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.
A year before enlisting, he talked on social media about his desire to fight in Ukraine with a far-right paramilitary group, according to an F.B.I. affidavit in the case. Before enlisting in the Army, Specialist Smith talked about his desire to fight in Ukraine with a far-right paramilitary group, according to an F.B.I. affidavit in the case that cited his social media exchange with another man who traveled there to fight.
He joined the Army in June 2017, received training at Fort Benning, Ga., and was stationed at Fort Bliss, Tex., before transferring to Fort Riley, Kan., in July, the authorities said. He has training in combat and tactical operations. “If I cannot find a slot in Ukraine by October I’ll be going into the Army,” he wrote in a June 2016 exchange, according to the affidavit. “To fight is what I want to do.”
More recently, he shared specific instructions for how to make bombs over social media, the authorities said. The comments came in group chats and in conversations with a confidential source and an undercover F.B.I. agent, according to an F.B.I. affidavit. He joined the Army the next year.
In August, he discussed a plan to lead an attack in the United States and said he was looking for other “radicals” like himself, the affidavit said. He is also accused of discussing a plan to target the headquarters of a major news network with a vehicle full of explosive materials. In recent months, Specialist Smith shared on social media specific instructions for how to make bombs, the authorities said. The comments came in group chats and in conversations with a confidential source and an undercover F.B.I. agent, according to the affidavit.
On Friday, the authorities said, he offered instructions to an undercover agent about how to build an explosive with household chemicals and other common equipment. In August, he discussed a plan to lead an attack in the United States and said he was looking for other “radicals” like himself, the authorities said.
“Making AK-47s out of expensive parts is cool,” he said, according to the affidavit. But imagine, he said, “going to Walmart instead of gun store to buy weapons.” In one exchange, according to the affidavit, he talked about killing members of antifa, a coalition of activists that has surfaced in recent years to oppose fascist, racist and far-right groups. In another, he suggested attacking the headquarters of an unnamed “major news network” with a vehicle full of explosive materials.
When the undercover agent suggested he wanted to target a Texas politician, Mr. Smith suggested Mr. O’Rourke, the former congressman from El Paso who is running for president, according to excerpts from the conversation included in the affidavit. As recently as Friday, the authorities said, he offered instructions to an undercover agent about how to build an explosive with household chemicals and other common equipment. “Making AK-47s out of expensive parts is cool,” he said, according to the affidavit. But imagine, he said, “going to Walmart instead of gun store to buy weapons.”
The authorities arrested Mr. Smith the next day. According to the affidavit, he said that he gave the instructions to cause “chaos.” When the undercover agent suggested a desire to target a Texas politician, Specialist Smith suggested Mr. O’Rourke, the former congressman from El Paso who has made gun control a central platform in his bid for the presidency, according to excerpts from the conversation included in the affidavit.
“You got anyone down in Texas that would be a good fit for fire, destruction and death?” the agent asked on an encrypted messaging service.
“Outside of Beto?” Specialist Smith said, according to the affidavit. “I don’t know enough people that would be relevant enough to cause a change if they died.”
The F.B.I. arrested Specialist Smith the next day.
A spokesman said Monday that the Army was aware of the allegations against Specialist Smith and had cooperated with the F.B.I. on his arrest. “These allegations violate our Army values so we take them very seriously,” the Army said in a statement.
Some watchdog groups have warned that the armed forces can serve as a training and recruiting ground for extremists and that some groups encourage their newer members to enlist to get weapons training. In February, the authorities arrested a Coast Guard lieutenant and self-described white nationalist who is accused of plotting to kill prominent journalists and Democratic politicians, according to court documents.
After he enlisted, Specialist Smith received training at Fort Benning, Ga., and was stationed at Fort Bliss, Tex., from late 2017 until he transferred to Fort Riley, Kan., this summer, according to the Army and court records.
He had not been deployed, the Army said.
In an interview with the F.B.I., the authorities said, Specialist Smith acknowledged that he routinely gave instructions on how to build explosives in online chat rooms, even when others said they planned to use the information to hurt people.
According to the affidavit, he said he did so to cause “chaos.”