Man arrested after federal officials say he sought to destroy Nashville power site
The Nashville, Tenn., skyline is reflected in the Cumberland River July 11, 2022.
C-4 explosive attack plotted against energy facility to ignite race war: fedsThe Nashville, Tenn., skyline is reflected in the Cumberland River July 11, 2022.
(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)
BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI
November 4, 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Department of Justice said Monday that federal agents have arrested a Tennessee man with ties to white nationalist groups who they say attempted to use what he believed to be an explosive-laden drone to destroy a Nashville energy facility.
According to court documents, Skyler Philippi, 24, is accused of planning to attach several pounds of C-4 explosives to an aerial drone with the intent of destroying an electric substation in Nashville.
The newly unsealed court records reveal that Philippi in July allegedly told a confidential source who was working with the FBI that he wanted to attack several substations to “shock the system.” That confidential source later introduced Philippi to an undercover FBI employee, who began to collect information about Philippi’s plan with other undercover agents.
“Philippi researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that attacking with firearms would not be sufficient,” wrote Angelo DeFeo, an FBI special agent, in the court records released Monday. “Philippi, therefore, planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and to fly the drone into the substation.”
Philippi allegedly told undercover law enforcement officials that he was affiliated with several white nationalist and extremist groups, including the National Alliance, which calls for eradicating the Jewish people and other races. Such extremist groups increasingly have viewed attacking the United States’ power grid as a means of disrupting the country.
The U.S. grid includes more than 6,400 power plants and 450,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines that span the country.
In September, Philippi provided the undercover officials with excerpts of his so-called manifesto, which focused heavily on preserving the white race.
On Saturday, Philippi and undercover employees drove to his intended Nashville launch site and prepared to fly a drone that authorities say Philippi believed had 3 pounds of C-4 attached to it. The material had been provided by the undercover employees, according to court documents.
Law enforcement agents arrested Philippi shortly after arriving at the site.
“As charged, Skyler Philippi believed he was moments away from launching an attack on a Nashville energy facility to further his violent white supremacist ideology – but the FBI had already compromised his plot,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.
A federal public defender was appointed to represent Philippi and a request for comment was sent to the attorney on Monday. Philippi is expected to appear in court on Nov. 13.
BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI
November 4, 2024
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Department of Justice said Monday that federal agents have arrested a Tennessee man with ties to white nationalist groups who they say attempted to use what he believed to be an explosive-laden drone to destroy a Nashville energy facility.
According to court documents, Skyler Philippi, 24, is accused of planning to attach several pounds of C-4 explosives to an aerial drone with the intent of destroying an electric substation in Nashville.
The newly unsealed court records reveal that Philippi in July allegedly told a confidential source who was working with the FBI that he wanted to attack several substations to “shock the system.” That confidential source later introduced Philippi to an undercover FBI employee, who began to collect information about Philippi’s plan with other undercover agents.
“Philippi researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that attacking with firearms would not be sufficient,” wrote Angelo DeFeo, an FBI special agent, in the court records released Monday. “Philippi, therefore, planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and to fly the drone into the substation.”
Philippi allegedly told undercover law enforcement officials that he was affiliated with several white nationalist and extremist groups, including the National Alliance, which calls for eradicating the Jewish people and other races. Such extremist groups increasingly have viewed attacking the United States’ power grid as a means of disrupting the country.
The U.S. grid includes more than 6,400 power plants and 450,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines that span the country.
In September, Philippi provided the undercover officials with excerpts of his so-called manifesto, which focused heavily on preserving the white race.
On Saturday, Philippi and undercover employees drove to his intended Nashville launch site and prepared to fly a drone that authorities say Philippi believed had 3 pounds of C-4 attached to it. The material had been provided by the undercover employees, according to court documents.
Law enforcement agents arrested Philippi shortly after arriving at the site.
“As charged, Skyler Philippi believed he was moments away from launching an attack on a Nashville energy facility to further his violent white supremacist ideology – but the FBI had already compromised his plot,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.
A federal public defender was appointed to represent Philippi and a request for comment was sent to the attorney on Monday. Philippi is expected to appear in court on Nov. 13.
Matthew Chapman
November 4, 2024
RAW STORY
Crime scene tape (Shutterstock.com)
A 24-year-old white supremacist has been charged with plotting to use weapons of mass destruction on an energy facility in Nashville, Tennessee, federal prosecutors said in a news release Monday.
Skyler Philippi, a so-called "accelerationist" who believes the destruction of society must be hastened to bring about race war, planned to use a drone equipped with explosives to target an electric substation, telling a confidential source such an attack would "shock the system" and bring down large parts of the power grid, the Justice Department said.
Philippi was also flagged earlier this year in a Raw Story exclusive investigation into online networks radicalizing young people into racial extremist groups. He was an administrator of a white nationalist Telegram channel known as the Primal Aryan Warlord Gang, or PAWG, which celebrated white supremacist violence and racially motivated mass killings.
"In September 2024, Philippi drove with undercover employees (UCEs) of the FBI to an electric substation previously researched and targeted by Philippi, and Philippi conducted reconnaissance of the substation," prosecutors said in the release. "While driving, Philippi ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the UCEs. Philippi later purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack on the substation."
“If you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis,” Philippi allegedly texted an informant, adding, “Holy s---. This will go up like a f---in fourth of July firework.”
Philippi was busted after he performed a ritualistic prayer to Odin and drove to the operation site with informants, where he was apprehended by federal agents.
“Those fueled by hate and inspired to violence by racial or ethnic bias pose a grave threat to our national security,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said of the case. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to wage such hate-fueled violence, which has no place in America or anywhere else.”
Crime scene tape (Shutterstock.com)
A 24-year-old white supremacist has been charged with plotting to use weapons of mass destruction on an energy facility in Nashville, Tennessee, federal prosecutors said in a news release Monday.
Skyler Philippi, a so-called "accelerationist" who believes the destruction of society must be hastened to bring about race war, planned to use a drone equipped with explosives to target an electric substation, telling a confidential source such an attack would "shock the system" and bring down large parts of the power grid, the Justice Department said.
Philippi was also flagged earlier this year in a Raw Story exclusive investigation into online networks radicalizing young people into racial extremist groups. He was an administrator of a white nationalist Telegram channel known as the Primal Aryan Warlord Gang, or PAWG, which celebrated white supremacist violence and racially motivated mass killings.
"In September 2024, Philippi drove with undercover employees (UCEs) of the FBI to an electric substation previously researched and targeted by Philippi, and Philippi conducted reconnaissance of the substation," prosecutors said in the release. "While driving, Philippi ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the UCEs. Philippi later purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack on the substation."
“If you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis,” Philippi allegedly texted an informant, adding, “Holy s---. This will go up like a f---in fourth of July firework.”
Philippi was busted after he performed a ritualistic prayer to Odin and drove to the operation site with informants, where he was apprehended by federal agents.
“Those fueled by hate and inspired to violence by racial or ethnic bias pose a grave threat to our national security,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said of the case. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to wage such hate-fueled violence, which has no place in America or anywhere else.”
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