Month: August 2023

Officials announced Monday that a 17-year-old in Philadelphia has been charged and arrested with multiple state charges stemming from an FBI terrorism investigation. The investigation began when the FBI became aware of the teen’s alleged communication with Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad (KTJ), a foreign terrorist organization affiliated with al Qaeda. Over a period of weeks, the FBI identified the teen and conducted an investigation. The teen allegedly had acquired chemicals and had taken steps to build a weapon of mass destruction.

Dozens of FBI agents and other law enforcement partners descended upon a neighborhood in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia Friday as part of the investigation, and searched a residential property. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire said that as investigators became aware that the teen had collected materials necessary to build a functional device, the FBI moved quickly to arrest him.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said at a news conference that the teen, whose name is not being released, is being charged as a juvenile. Said Krasner: “The young man who is under arrest is — was an aspiring terrorist who was not merely thinking, but was doing things that are deeply disturbing and presented a grave danger to everyone.”  The case has been filed in juvenile court, but the DA’s office is seeking to have the case moved to adult court, Krasner said, adding that the teen “is currently charged with the following offenses: weapons of mass destruction, criminal conspiracy, arson, causing or risking catastrophe, attempt to commit criminal mischief, possession of an instrument of crime, and reckless endangerment of another person.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire said at the news conference: “Among the items he purchased were tactical equipment, wiring, chemicals and devices often used as remote detonators. He had not only taken steps in acquiring those items and materials that are commonly used in improvised explosive devices, but that he had also taken steps to start putting potential devices together.”  The teen also had access to “quite a significant number of firearms,” Maguire said.

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A grand jury in Fulton County, Georgia, has indicted former President Donald Trump and 18 of his associates for election fraud, racketeering and other charges related to alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The indictment names Trump and 18 others, including Rudy Giuliani, his former lawyer; John Eastman, a conservative lawyer; and Mark Meadows, former White House chief of staff. Other co-defendants include Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official; and Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis, conservative lawyers who pushed baseless claims of voter fraud. The filing lists 41 total counts, including 13 against Trump, and notes there are 30 unindicted co-conspirators. In all, 19 defendants are charged with “the offense of violation of the Georgia RICO Act,” among other charges.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said that arrest warrants have been issued for all the defendants in the case, and that they have until noon on Aug. 25 to turn themselves in: “The state’s role in this process is essential to the functioning of our democracy. Georgia, like every state, has laws that allow those who believe that results of the election are wrong, whether because of intentional wrongdoing, or unintentional error to challenge those results in state courts,” she said. But rather than abiding by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, she said, the defendants “engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result subsequent to the indictment.”

Willis said the racketeering charges have “time that you have to serve, so it’s not a probated sentence,” meaning that if convicted, the defendants will be sentenced to prison time.

Trump is the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges, and has now been charged in four separate cases involving allegations at the end of his presidency.

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Authorities confirmed that an explosion on Saturday morning in the residential suburb of Plum, outside Pittsburgh left five people dead and three injured. Plum is about 15 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The explosion destroyed three structures and damaged at least a dozen others. Police have not yet publicly identified the victims, but officials said one of the victims was an adolescent.

911 dispatchers received a call a little before 10:30 a.m on Saturday that multiple houses were on fire due to an explosion. The incident appeared to begin when one house exploded, engulfing two neighboring homes in flames as well, according to the county. Multiple other homes were damaged with windows blown out.

Allegheny County officials reported that firefighters arrived to find “people trapped under the debris,” and took three people to a hospital. Of the three, two have been released and the third is in the hospital in critical condition, according to police. The remains of five victims – four adults and one adolescent – were also found at the scene. County spokesperson Amie Downs said crews from at least 18 fire departments were working to douse the flames with the help of water tankers from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. 57 firefighters were treated on scene for minor issues, most for heat exhaustion.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Plum and county law enforcement, as well as the county fire marshal’s office, are investigating, and the state public utilities commission and local utilities were also at the scene. Officials said the investigation will be a “slow and long process” that could last for months or years. The Red Cross and Salvation Army are assisting residents impacted by the explosion.

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Missouri Highway Patrol confirmed that the boat explosion on the Lake of the Ozarks which injured 16 people is believed to have been caused by a buildup of gas fumes.

MSHP Troop F tweeted: “Troopers are investigating a boat explosion at the Millstone Marina at Lake of the Ozarks Gas fumes built up in the engine area and a spark set off the explosion.” State patrol later tweeted a safety tip advising that all windows, ports, doors and other openings should be opened and any power ventilation system, such as an exhaust blower, should be turned on after fueling a boat.

It was reported by multiple local news agencies that the explosion happened on Friday afternoon with 15 people on board the boat; one person who was on the dock nearby was also injured, with three people ejected from the boat.  According to an incident report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the injured were between 6 and 43 years old, with four children under the age of 12.

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