Judge Blocks Release Of Coast Guard Lt. Accused Of Terror Plot

SILVER SPRING, MD — A federal judge on Monday blocked the pretrial release of a U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant accused of stockpiling weapons and drugs to launch a domestic terror attack, according to the Associated Press.

U.S. District Judge George Hazel's decision overturns an earlier ruling by a magistrate judge who said Christopher Paul Hasson could be released from custody while awaiting trial on firearms and drug charges.

Last week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles B. Day ordered Hasson — a self-proclaimed white nationalist from Silver Spring — to be released to relatives in Virginia. He, however, delayed Hasson's release to give prosecutors time to appeal the decision to a district judge, according to the Associated Press.

After hearing prosecutors' appeals, Hazel ordered Hasson to remain in detention.

According to the AP, Hazel said that supervising Hasson should be a job for the U.S. Marshals Service, not for relatives.

Federal prosecutors have repeatedly accused Hasson of being a "domestic terrorist" with plans to murder a list of Democratic lawmakers and journalists.

Though Hasson has only been indicted on gun and drug charges, prosecutors insist that these charges are just the "proverbial tip of the iceberg."

Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Hasson's residence in Silver Spring on Feb. 15. A search of the basement apartment he shares with his wife turned up 17 firearms and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, according to officials. Hasson was arrested that same day.

According to court documents filed by prosecutors, Hasson planned attacks on the U.S. and targeted presidential candidates Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York; Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts; Cory Booker, D-New Jersey; and Kamala Harris, D-California. Other prominent public figures on the list included MSNBC's Chris Hayes and Joe Scarborough and CNN's Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo.

"The defendant is a domestic terrorist, bent on committing acts dangerous to human life that are intended to affect governmental conduct," officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland said.

Court records did not reveal when Hasson planned to strike, but said he has been stockpiling supplies since 2017. Authorities claim that Hasson wanted to establish a "white homeland."

In court in February, federal prosecutor Jennifer Sykes said Hasson used his government computer at work to search for people such as the Virginia Tech gunman, the Unabomber, and Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik, who was convicted in 2011 of killing 77 people in two terror attacks.

"This is not an isolated activity," Sykes said. "This is something that is being done for hours on end while he is at work."

Hasson was working as an acquisitions officer at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. before he was arrested. When agents searched his workplace, they also found at least 100 pills believed to be a narcotic called Tramadol.

According to court documents, Hasson amassed the narcotics "to increase his ability to conduct attacks," which was in line with Breivik's manifesto.

Julie Stelzig, one of Hasson's public defenders, called the court documents filed against her client "inflammatory," saying the "15-page document is throwing a whole bunch of stuff against the wall and hoping it will stick."

The government — however — says Hasson has espoused extremist views for years, and that his internet searches and firearms and narcotic purchases make him a danger to the community.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Windom said the government believes Hasson's arrested prevented from launching an attack on innocent people, according to the AP.

"Nothing is more serious than murder. And, plain and simple, that's what the defendant was going to do," Windom said.

SEE ALSO:

• Judge Orders Coast Guard Lt. Back To Detention
• Coast Guard Lt. Indicted On Gun and Drug Charges: DOJ
• Coast Guard Officer Accused Of Terror Plot To Be Freed For Trial
• Coast Guard Lt. Accused Of Terror Plot Can Be Released To Family