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According to legal documents filed Wednesday, the FBI arrested a 21 year-old man who was planning an attack on several monuments at the capital, including the White House.
Several reporters tweeted about the details of the arrest.
The suspect planned to approach the White House "from the back road," cause a distraction for police, and then enter inside, according to law enforcement. The filing also indicates he was planning to attack the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
Law enforcement allege that he had in his possession a "hand-drawn diagram of ground floor of the West Wing" of the White House.
The man was identified as Hasher Jallal Taheb, and CNN's Nick Valencia described his appearance at the federal courthouse as "thin build, long beard, shaggy black hair."
BREAKING- Man charged with intent to destroy “by fire or explosive a building owned, possessed or leased by the United States." I was in federal court where the man, Hasher Jallal Taheb just appeared in Atlanta. Thin build, long beard, shaggy black hair. Led away by US marshals
— Nick Valencia (@CNNValencia) January 16, 2019
Taheb is from the Atlanta, Georgia area, and officials say they were alerted to the threat from the tip of an acquaintance who was alarmed by how the suspect had radicalized himself.
He was arrested as he was trying to trade his vehicle for explosives in Georgia.
Officials say he plotted his attack on his own, and without the aid of any group or organization.
