Two suspects in an attempted attack on Baltimore's electric grid have been arrested, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Unsealed court documents show that Sarah Clendaniel of Maryland and Brandon Russell of Florida are racist extremists who allegedly wanted to "completely destroy" Baltimore by shutting down its grid.
NBC reported that Russell is the founder of a neo-Nazi group called Atomwaffen Division, which the Southern Poverty Law Center said is committed to bringing about the collapse of civilization.
He started communicating with an FBI informant about the attack in December soon after being released from prison.
“Together, we are using every legal means necessary to keep Marylanders safe and to disrupt hate-fueled violence,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron during a press conference on Monday. “When we are united, hate cannot win.”
The arrests come amid a series of attempted attacks on power stations, as well as one successful one in North Carolina that cut power to 45,000 households. So far, no one has been arrested for that attack.
"In the last decade, we have increased our level of investment on grid hardening capital projects, and monitoring and surveillance technologies to work to prevent both physical and cyber-attacks," said Exelon and Baltimore Gas and Electric in a statement. "We remain focused on improving the resiliency of the grid by stocking critical back-up equipment while designing a smarter grid that isolates damage and routes power around it."
Spring Hill General Motors workers picket outside of the plant in Spring Hill, Tenn., after United Auto Workers Local 1853 announced a strike after 44 days of negotiations with GM, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (Nicole Hester/The Tennessean via AP)
Two local law enforcement chiefs told The Associated Press that a statewide alert was sent in mid-September to be on the lookout for Army reservist Robert Card because of threats he made against his base and fellow soldiers.
The Israeli military intensified airstrikes in Gaza on Sunday, including near its largest hospital, and another hospital was damaged by bombardment close by.
The Gaza Health Ministry said the death toll among Palestinians passed 8,000, mostly women and minors, as Israeli tanks and infantry pursued what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “second stage” in the war ignited by Hamas’ brutal Oct. 7 incursion.
How to enjoy NYC without breaking the bank.
Google's head of search testified at the company's trial Thursday as it started presenting its defense. The Justice Department in several states alleged that Google violated antitrust law to achieve its dominance in search.
Florida Gov. Ron Desantis said he has arranged to send drones, weapons, and ammunition to Israel.
An Idaho woman is suing her one-time fertility doctor saying he used his own sperm to inseminate her 34 years ago.
Police have recaptured a suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a Washington, DC man, nearly six weeks after the suspect escaped from a local hospital.
