Douglas L. Wright, 26; Brandon L. Baxter, 20; Anthony Hayne, 35; Connor C. Stevens, 20; and Joshua S. Stafford, 23 (Source: WOIO)CLEVELAND (RNN) - The FBI announced charges for five people
arrested in connection with a plot to blow up a bridge near Cleveland.
The men were identified as Douglas L. Wright, 26; Brandon
L. Baxter, 20; Anthony Hayne, 35; Connor C. Stevens, 20; and Joshua S.
Stafford, 23.
Members of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested
the men Monday night and charged them with conspiracy and attempted use of
explosive materials to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce.
"The initial plot involved the use of smoke grenades
to distract law enforcement in order for the co-conspirators to topple
financial institution signs atop high rise buildings in downtown
Cleveland," according to the complaint.
Officials said that the plot was not connected to any
foreign terrorist group. Investigators ran a sting operation for several months
before making the arrests.
The FBI described at least three men in group as "self-proclaimed
anarchists" who used violence to promote their ideals.
They are scheduled to appear in federal court today in
Cleveland.
Authorities said the selected target was the Route 82
Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge. The bridge crosses over Cuyahoga
Valley National Park from Brecksville to Sagamore Hills.
The group planned to use C-4, a military grade explosive,
place it into homemade devices and detonate the devices remotely.
The FBI said that the public was not in danger at any point
during the investigation.
The explosives the five men planned to use in the
operation were "inoperable and posed no threat to the public,"
according to a release from the FBI.
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