Five arrested in bridge plot
A Cleveland bomb plot has been subdued says the Justice Department. Five men were taken into custody for planning to blow up a bridge close to Cleveland. The men are self described anarchists and not apart of any terrorist organization reports the AP.
The Cleveland bomb plot was discovered by law enforcement agents during an undercover surveillance operation. They also added that the Cleveland bomb plot was in no way related to the anniversary of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed during a raid one year ago.
“The individuals charged in this plot were intent on using violence to express their ideological views,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Anthony noted in a statement.
CBS News reports that the FBI conducted the investigation over the course of several months with the arrested individuals discussing numerous locations surrounding the Cleveland area. Court papers reveal the group planned on using C-4 explosives to remotely blow up the four-lane Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge. The bridge passes over a national park. The FBI also provided the five in question with what they thought was explosive material.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force arrested Brandon Baxter, 20, Douglas Wright, 26, Anthony Hayne, 35, Connor Stevens, 20, and Joshua Stafford, 23.
Baxter, Wright and Hayne are slated to go before the federal magistrate in U.S. District Court today.
Stevens and Stafford are still awaiting pending charges for the Cleveland bomb plot.
“The safety of the citizens of the Northern District of Ohio is and continues to be our primary focus,” added Anthony,” reported ABC.
