Federal authorities say a UFC event at the White House is the latest case to raise concerns about the role the internet can play in radicalizing people and connecting would-be attackers.
According to court documents, the men accused in the UFC plot allegedly communicated through encrypted messaging platforms and discussed plans involving drones, firearms and attacks on government officials.
Rather than involving a single suspect acting alone, authorities allege the case involved multiple individuals who connected online and shared extremist beliefs. Investigators have increasingly warned that digital communities can help spread radical ideologies and, in some cases, encourage real-world violence.
From alleged ISIS supporters to anti-government extremists, authorities have repeatedly linked high-profile terror and investigations to online networks where radical beliefs can spread rapidly. Here are some recent examples.
1. Alleged White House UFC terror plot
The investigation into the alleged plot targeting UFC Freedom 250 at the White House earlier this month began, in part, after a contacted authorities about her 19-year-old son.
According to court documents, Tycen Proper’s mother reported concerns about his recent firearms purchases and . Another family member told investigators Proper had recently met people online and was planning to leave home to conduct “missions” and “recons” with them.
The suspects were identified as Proper; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of California; Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of California; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska.
In California, Roa’s family also noticed alarming changes. Family members told investigators he had become increasingly isolated, spent more time with a new group of online friends and spoke cryptically about traveling to Washington, D.C., where . According to court filings, relatives feared he intended to commit an act of violence.
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Federal authorities allege Proper, Roa and the three other men connected through online communities before moving their . Prosecutors say the group discussed using explosive-laden drones to trigger panic at the White House event before positioning snipers to target “high value targets” as attendees fled.
Court documents allege one participant wrote that “$1300 gets us the drones and the charges,” while another urged the group to acquire “as many and as deadly as we can get” when discussing drones.
Authorities say the group had discussed assigning roles ranging from shooters and drone operators to logistics coordinators and social media influencers. FBI Director Kash Patel said authorities “stopped cold” the alleged plot before it could be carried out.
2. Alleged ISIS-inspired Halloween terror plot
Federal authorities accused six young men from Michigan, New Jersey and Washington state of connecting online through pro-ISIS circles and plotting a Halloween attack last year before authorities disrupted the alleged scheme.
The group included suspects from Dearborn, Michigan; Montclair, New Jersey; and Kent, Washington. According to court documents, investigators allege the men communicated through encrypted chats and voice calls, using code words s
