Topline
Federal authorities have arrested and charged two people with allegedly conspiring to destroy energy facilities in a plot prosecutors say was racially motivated, following a string of apparent small arms attacks on electrical infrastructure last year.
A neo-Nazi leader was among two arrested for allegedly plotting attacks on Maryland substations.
Key Facts
Brandon Russell of Florida and Sarah Clendaniel of Maryland aimed to carry out attacks they hoped would “completely destroy” Baltimore, U.S. Attorney Erek Barron said at a news conference.
Russell founded the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division in 2015, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center—a group whose purpose is to carry out attacks to create a race war in the United States.
Barron said they planned to “shoot multiple electrical substations in the Baltimore area,” while Baltimore-based FBI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Sobocinski said the two “were not just talking, but taking steps to fulfill their threats.”
Sobocinski added there is “no indication” the plot was connected to other attacks on substations last year across the country.
Russell and Clendaniel began communicating and formed a relationship while the two finished up prison terms in the past few years—Russell was convicted of illegally possessing explosive materials, while Clendaniel was imprisoned for robbing convenience stores with a machete, according to the Washington Post.
Russell and Clendaniel could not be reached for comment and it is unclear if they are represented by attorneys.
Crucial Quote
“He [Russell]
described attacking the power transformers as ‘the greatest thing somebody can do,’” Sobocinski said.
What To Watch For
The two were charged with conspiracy to destroy an energy facility. They each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Key Background
A Department of Homeland Security report compiled last year identified attacks on the power grid as a top target for domestic extremists, while a September report from George Washington University’s Program on Extremism said white supremacists envision attacks “as a pretext for the anticipated collapse of American government and society.” Attacks on the power grid reached an all-time high of 163 in 2022, according to the Energy Department—up 77% from the previous year. The most impactful attack was in Moore County, North Carolina, where more than 45,000 were left without power, while a separate attack in Washington state left about 14,000 without power. Two people were arrested on New Year’s Eve in connection with the Washington attack, while authorities are offering a reward of up to $75,000 for information related to the North Carolina attack.
Further Reading
Attacks on US Power Grids Rose to All-Time High in 2022 (Bloomberg)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicholasreimann/2023/02/06/neo-nazi-leader-arrested-in-alleged-plot-to-attack-power-plants/