FBI arrests soldier accused of plotting to bomb major news network and attack Beto O’Rourke

Undercover agent says a US Army soldier shared bomb-making instructions online to stir 'chaos'

A US soldier was arrested after discussing plans online to bomb a major news network, join a violent far-right group in Ukraine and attack 2020 presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke, officials have said.

Jarrett William Smith, a 24-year-old US Army soldier who joined the military in June 2017, shared strategies about making explosive devices while unknowingly speaking with an undercover FBI agent, according to an affidavit.

He reportedly spoke with the undercover agent about wanting to kill members of the antifascist movement known as antifa, and said he shared bomb-making instructions with others online in an effort to cause “chaos”.

"Smith talked with the confidential source about killing members of the far left group, antifa, as well as destroying nearby cell towers or local news station,” the affidavit said.

The soldier, who had been stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas since July 2019, also said in his conversations with the agent that he wanted to devise a “large vehicle bomb” to be used against a major news outlet, the FBI said.

Mr Smith has been charged in federal district court with distributing information about explosives, destructive devices and weapons of mass destruction.

An FBI technician who assessed the vehicle device he described in the August conversation said it would not have been able to cause any damage.

The soldier was arrested after a 20 September conversation in which he provided an undercover agent instructions to build a bomb, some of which the FBI technician said would have been “viable”.

At one point in the same conversation, the agent asked Mr Smith about targeting a “liberal Texas mayor” and sought ideas on prominent figures to bomb.

“Outside of Beto?” the soldier responded, according to the affidavit, seemingly referring to Mr O’Rourke, a former congressman.

"I don't know enough people that would be relevant enough to cause a change if they died,” he added.

The soldier also told the undercover agent that using household items to make bombs was “the best way to fight people”, saying, “making AK-47s out of expensive parts is cool, but imagine [if] you will if you were going to WalMart instead of gun store to buy weapons.”

Mr O’Rourke has taken a hardline approach to gun control along the 2020 campaign trail, saying during the most recent Democratic debates: “Hell yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47.” The Texas Democrat has called for a mandatory assault weapons buyback programme.

While the soldier initially wanted to join right-wing paramilitary forces in Ukraine last year, the FBI said he told an agent he wanted to conduct “an attack within the United States” and was “looking for more ‘radicals’ like himself,” the affidavit said.

If convicted, Mr Smith could face a fine up to $250,000 (£201,007) and spend up to 20 years in federal prison.