NewsUS NewsWhite HouseFive people have been arrested with 23 people identified as part of a network of conspirators involved in an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington DC11:50, 16 Jun 2026Updated 12:04, 16 Jun 2026The FBI says it has thwarted an alleged plot to attack the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington DC.‌Five people were arrested with 23 people identified as part of a potential network of conspirators, the Bureau said.‌The plan allegedly involved utilising drones laden with explosives to strike buildings near the event on Sunday, instigate a mass evacuation and direct crowds towards a pre-arranged sniper team, officials revealed.‌A "second wave" was then allegedly planned to storm the White House gate, according to officials.The FBI first became aware of the plot on June 10 with a person taken into custody in Cincinnati and from there Signal chats were uncovered where multiple people allegedly discussed attacking the UFC event.One suspect’s iPhone showed at least 23 Signal users discussing pre-operational activity, officials said. And some of those involved allegedly planned to travel to Fredericksburg, Virginia, on June 12 or 13 to prepare for the attack.‌It is also alleged by one suspect that the aim was to target capitalist elites and politicians who took donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.There have been at least 12 FBI field offices involved in the operationFBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X: "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 – and thanks to the rapid action of this FBI, our partners, and the Department of Justice in a multi-state operation, multiple individuals are now in custody and allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold.Article continues below"While the result represented the best of investigative work, it was also nothing out of the ordinary for this law enforcement team – 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."That’s exactly what we did here. I want to thank our great agents and partners, this work remains ongoing and we will continue to update the public as permitted. We continue to encourage any American to report anything suspicious at 1-800-CALL-FBI or http://tips.fbi.gov.”Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Breaking NewsUFCEmergencyWhite House