A U.S. Army private is facing federal terrorism charges after prosecutors say he plotted with an extremist group to attack his own unit, according to the Justice Department and reporting by HuffPost.
Authorities say 22 year old Ethan Melzer was arrested on June 10 and that the criminal complaint and indictment were unsealed this week. He is charged with conspiring and attempting to murder U.S. nationals and service members, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiring to murder and maim in a foreign country. The charges are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Prosecutors allege Melzer joined the Army in 2018 and became involved with the Order of the Nine Angles, which authorities describe as an occult based neo Nazi and racially motivated violent extremist group. They also allege he consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups and passed along details about his unit’s deployment to someone he believed would attack it.
According to an FBI affidavit, Melzer allegedly said he was prepared to die to facilitate an attack and considered himself a traitor. Court documents have not yet been tested at trial.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
