Federal prosecutors say US Coast Guard lieutenant plotted 'massive domestic terror attack' targeting civilians, politicians, and journalists

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• A US Coast Guard lieutenant, Christopher Paul Hasson, was arrested on Wednesday after authorities found a cache of weapons in his Silver Springs, Maryland, apartment, The Washington Post reported.
• Federal authorities say these weapons and ammunition, which he had allegedly been collecting since 2017, were intended for a "massive" terrorist attack aimed at lawmakers and journalists.
• "The defendant intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country," court documents say, according to The Post.

A US Coast Guard lieutenant, Christopher Paul Hasson, was arrested last week after authorities found a cache of weapons in his Silver Springs, Maryland, apartment, The Washington Post reported.

Federal authorities say these weapons and ammunition, which he had allegedly been collecting since 2017, were intended for a "massive" terrorist attack aimed at lawmakers and journalists.

He was arrested on illegal weapons and drug charges, but in court documents the government claims, "The defendant intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country."

Hasson is self-described white nationalist, The Post reported, and court documents that he wanted to "establish a white homeland" and commit "focused violence."

"I never saw a reason for mass protest or wearing uniforms marching around provoking people with swastikas etc.," Hasson wrote in a letter which was addressed to a neo-Nazi leader, but allegedly sent to himself, according to court documents. "I was and am a man of action you cannot change minds protesting like that. However you can make change with a little focused violence."

According to the court documents, he stockpiled 15 firearms and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. He also allegedly had a spreadsheet of targets, which included Democratic lawmakers and journalists.

Hasson had been working at the US Coast Guard headquarters since 2016.

"An active duty Coast Guard member stationed at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC, was arrested last week on illegal weapons and drug charges as a result of an ongoing investigation led by Coast Guard Investigation Services, in cooperation with the FBI and the Dept. of Justice," Coast Guard spokesman, Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride told The Post in a written statement. The spokesman also said he was no longer working a the headquarters.

This story is developing, please check back for more information.

Read the full story at The Washington Post »