Washington, June 23 (IANS) A US soldier has been charged with terrorism offences for planning a deadly ambush on his unit by sending information to a neo-Nazi group, a media report said on Tuesday.
According to the BBC report, Ethan Melzer, 22, stands accused of sending sensitive details about his unit to the Order of Nine Angles, which the Department of Justice calls it an “occult-based neo-Nazi and racially motivated violent extremist group”.
He was allegedly planning for information to be passed to jihadis, who would then carry out an attack.
His plan was thwarted late last month by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Army. He was arrested on June 10.
Private Melzer has been charged with conspiring and attempting to murder US nationals, conspiring and attempting to murder military service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country.
“As alleged, Ethan Melzer, a private in the US Army, was the enemy within,” the BBC quoted Audrey Strauss, acting US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, as saying in a statement on Monday.
“Melzer allegedly attempted to orchestrate a murderous ambush on his own unit by unlawfully revealing its location, strength, and armaments to a neo-Nazi, anarchist, white supremacist group.”
Members of the Order of Nine Angles have expressed admiration for both Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadis, such as slain Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden, the statement said.
“Melzer declared himself to be a traitor against the US, and described his own conduct as tantamount to treason. We agree,” said FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr.
–IANS
ksk/