Latest news with #Casap
Boston Globe
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Trump doesn't care about domestic terrorism — unless Teslas are the victims
With his alleged white supremacist, anti-government views, Casap fits the profile of someone whose name might have been in the national domestic terrorism database — that is, if such a thing still existed. Last month, the Trump administration Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up This came at a time when incidents of targeted violence and terrorism were surging, according to a statement from the now-defunct Advertisement The project Advertisement When it comes to domestic terrorism these days, the Trump administration's top priority seems to be protecting Teslas. In what appeared to be a protest against unelected Elon Musk's dismantling of the federal government, some Tesla In a post on his social media site, the president even suggested that the perpetrators, who he called 'sick terrorist thugs,' should serve 20 years in the same Gulag-style prison in El Salvador where hundreds of immigrants abducted from this country — the Last month, Bondi made this comment days before the terrorism and targeted violence project was discontinued. Dating back to his first term, Trump established what has been a persistent theme in his political life: a complete disregard for domestic terrorism, the vast majority of which is committed by white far-right extremists. In 2017, he defended neo-Nazis at the Charlottesville, Va., hate rally where Advertisement When asked during a presidential debate in 2020 whether he condemned the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center classifies as a hate group, he instead said, 'Proud Boys — And in one of Trump's most damning actions since returning to the White House, he issued At every turn, Trump has given aid and comfort to this democracy's greatest enemies. Casap's alleged actions would seem to meet the definition of domestic terrorism, but Trump has had nothing to say about it. That includes the fact that the suspect's manifesto is reportedly rife with praise for Adolf Hitler and other antisemitism — which Trump falsely claims to care so much about. With similar cases, there's been a tendency to classify suspects as lone wolves, but in the darkest corners of the internet, dens of such wolves lie in wait. Now, instead of shining a light in those hidden places and restoring efforts to track extremist groups or individuals potentially plotting violent acts, Trump is standing back, standing by, and saying nothing. Renée Graham is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
A 'neo-Nazi' allegedly planned to kill Trump. Federal cuts could slow foiling similar plots.
A newly unsealed affidavit from the FBI alleges that a Wisconsin teenager charged with killing his parents earlier this year also appears to be a white supremacist who plotted to set off a race war by assassinating President Donald Trump. The affidavit alleges 17-year-old Nikita Casap of Waukesha, Wisconsin, killed his parents in February to "obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary" to carry out his plan of killing the president. He hoped the assassination would cause the United States to collapse, an outcome he claimed was necessary to topple the 'Jewish occupied' government and save the white race, according to a document the FBI referred to as Casap's "manifesto." The affidavit alleges Casap partially paid for 'a drone with a dropping mechanism' to inflict harm by dropping 'an explosive, Molotov cocktail, or very strong topical poison' on a target. According to messages referenced in the affidavit, Casap has links to multiple white supremacist groups. In messages on TikTok and Telegram, he identified himself as a follower of the Order of Nine Angles, which the FBI describes as a neo-Nazi cult that 'advocates for the use of violence and terrorism to overthrow governments and destroy modern civilization," NBC News reported. In his so-called manifesto, he appeared to recommend readings from the Terrorgram Collective, a global white supremacist group known for carrying out acts of violent racism and anti-LGBTQ bigotry. (Casap's attorneys did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment.) Instances of white supremacists attempting to incite a race war have occurred with disturbing frequency. In 2023, Rachel Maddow spoke with extremism expert Kathleen Belew about why neo-Nazi groups believe they can trigger a race war by attacking U.S. infrastructure such as electricity substations. Last June, I wrote about the FBI foiling an Arizona man's alleged plot to spark a race war by shooting up a rap concert in Atlanta. It's not hard to see why federal law enforcement officers have, in recent years, warned that white supremacy domestic terrorism is one of the biggest threats to national security. It's why many extremism experts have been taken aback by the Trump administration's moves to slash tens of millions of dollars for programs that track and combat domestic terrorism. Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the nonprofit watchdog Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, told The Guardian last month that such cuts could have disastrous impacts. 'Without this research, we won't know the extent of the problems we face when it comes to domestic terrorism, nor how to mitigate them,' Beirich said. 'And it will leave a huge hole in our knowledge base going forward — one that recent work and attention was trying to address. We will all suffer for the loss of this work.' This article was originally published on
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Teen killed parents in Wisconsin as part of plot to assassinate Trump, FBI says
A Wisconsin teen killed his parents to "obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary" to assassinate President Donald Trump, authorities allege in a recently released federal affidavit. The FBI affidavit sheds new light on the case against Nikita Casap, 17, accused of killing his mother, Tatiana, 35, and stepfather Donald Mayer, 51, whose bodies were found in the family's Waukesha home Feb. 28. Casap faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of hiding a corpse and theft among other charges in their deaths. Authorities believe the couple was fatally shot more than two weeks before the gruesome discovery. "The charges are a result of meticulous investigation efforts emphasizing our dedication to community safety and justice," the Waukesha County Sheriff said in a statement announcing the murder charges two weeks ago. The statement asked community members to come forward with "any additional information relevant to this case." The newly released federal affidavit says there is probable cause to believe that crimes committed also include a presidential assassination attempt, conspiracy and use of weapons of mass destruction. DOJ charges Pennsylvania man: Charged for posting YouTube threats to kill Trump, ICE agents Casap arrested in Kansas with gun, cash The affidavit says Mayer's car was listed as stolen immediately after the bodies were found, and that Casap was arrested hours later during a traffic stop in Kansas. A gun, ammunition and $14,000 was among items found in the vehicle, the affidavit says. The sheriff's office obtained a search warrant for Casap's phone and found information related to "The Order of Nine Angels," an extremist neo-Nazi group. They also found text messages in Russian and a three-page document discussing assassination, bomb-making and terrorist attacks. Casap had told a classmate he planned to kill his parents, according to the affidavit. Casap also told the classmate he was in contact with someone in Russia who was part of a plot to kill Trump and overthrow the U.S. government. Killing Trump would prompt 'chaos' A three-page document the affidavit says was found on the phone, apparently written by Casap, said killing Trump would bring chaos to the nation. 'As to why, specifically Trump, I think it's pretty obvious. By getting rid of the president and perhaps the vice president, that is guaranteed to bring in some chaos,' the document said. The document accused Jewish people of promoting white genocide and degeneracy. "Jewish occupied governments must fall," the document said, adding that the white race "cannot survive unless America collapses." It also contained images of Adolf Hitler with the text "Hail Hitler Hail the white race hail victory." The affidavit, in summary, says Casap "appears to have written a manifesto calling for the assassination of the President of the United States. He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States. And he paid for, at least in part, a drone and explosives to be used as a weapon of mass destruction to commit an attack. The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carry out his plan.' Casap, who remains in custody on $1 million, had a preliminary hearing April 9 on charges related to the death of his parents but did not enter a plea. He is scheduled for arraignment in May. Pennsylvania man also accused of targeting Trump In Pennsylvania, a man who resides in the same town where a would-be assassin fired gunshots at Trump was charged with making threats on YouTube to murder the president and other officials. Shawn Monper, 32, was charged with four counts of influencing, impeding or retaliating against a federal official after he posted comments under several YouTube videos threatening to kill or injure Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the Justice Department said Friday. Monper is a resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, the same city where Thomas Matthew Crooks began shooting at Trump during a July 2024 campaign rally. Trump was wounded; Corey Comperatore, an attendee, was killed and two attendees were injured. Secret Service snipers fatally shot Crooks moments later. − Krystal Nurse
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Teen accused of killing his parents and plotting to kill Trump captured in Kansas
WaKeeney, a city of about 1,800 people in northwest Kansas, was the site of the Feb. 28 capture of a Wisconsin teenager who had killed his parents and plotted to kill President Donald Trump. Details of the crimes allegedly committed by Nikita Casap, 17, were revealed in an FBI affidavit unsealed April 11. Casap killed his mother, 35-year-old Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, 51-year-old Donald Mayer, at their home in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to "obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary" to assassinate Trump, the affidavit said. The bodies of Mayer and Tatiana Casap were found Feb. 28 at their home, and Mayer's Volkswagen Atlas car was listed as stolen immediately afterward. Nikita Casap was arrested later that day after running a stop sign while driving Mayer's car in WaKeeney, the affidavit said. Mayer's handgun, his driver's license, ammunition and $14,000 cash were found in the car, it said. Authorities think Nikita Casap fatally shot his mother and stepfather more than two weeks before their bodies were found. He faces charges that include two counts each of first-degree murder and hiding a corpse. The FBI affidavit says probable cause also exists to believe that crimes committed include a presidential assassination attempt, conspiracy and use of weapons of mass destruction. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office obtained a search warrant for Casap's phone and found information related to "The Order of Nine Angels," an extremist neo-Nazi group, the affidavit said. The document accused Jewish people of promoting white genocide and degeneracy. "Jewish occupied governments must fall," it said, adding that the white race "cannot survive unless America collapses." The document also contained images of Adolf Hitler accompanied by the text, "Hail Hitler Hail the white race hail victory." The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office also found text messages in Russian and a three-page document discussing assassination, bomb-making and terrorist attacks, the affidavit said. Casap had told a classmate he planned to kill his parents, according to the affidavit. Casap also told the classmate he was in contact with someone in Russia who was part of a plot to kill Trump and overthrow the U.S. government. A three-page document the affidavit says was found on Casap's phone, apparently written by Casap, said killing Trump would bring chaos to the nation. The affidavit says Casap "paid for, at least in part, a drone and explosives to be used as a weapon of mass destruction to commit an attack. The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carry out his plan.' Contact Tim Hrenchir at threnchir@ or 785-213-5934. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Teen accused of killing parents, plotting to kill Trump found in Kansas
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Officials: Wisconsin teen who allegedly killed his parents also planned to assassinate Trump
A teenager in Wisconsin who was recently charged with killing his mother and stepfather has also been accused of plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump in a plot to overthrow the U.S. government. Last month, Nikita Casap, 17, was arrested for the deaths of Tatiana Casap, 35, his mother, and Donald Mayer, 51, his stepfather. The teen is facing nine felony charges in Wisconsin, including two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of hiding a corpse, according to CNN. Federal investigators are also pursuing three charges against him: presidential assassination, conspiracy and use of weapons of mass destruction. The bodies of Tatiana Casap and Mayer were found in their home on Feb. 28 when officers were conducting a welfare check, per The New York Times. It is believed that the two were killed on Feb. 11. They both died from gunshot wounds. The welfare check was performed in response to a call from Mayer's mother who said she had been unable to contact the family. Nikita also had not been at school in two weeks. Casap was not home when the bodies were found, and authorities listed his stepfather's car as stolen. Later that same day in Kansas, police officers performed a traffic stop on the vehicle, and they found the suspect driving. According to CNN, authorities also found $14,000 in $100 bills and over $14,000 worth of jewelry and Mayer's .357 Magnum revolver in the vehicle. When Casap appeared in court on March 27, it was revealed that his mother was found in a hallway covered with blankets and a towel, while his stepfather was found covered in a pile of clothing in a first-floor office, per NBC. While investigating Casap for the murder charges, authorities found written documents and text messages indicating that the teen had been plotting to assassinate Trump as part of a plan to overthrow the U.S. government, per CNN. The documents and messages show that the alleged killing of his parents was an effort for Casap to gain the 'financial means and autonomy' to carry out the assassination plot. Authorities found material on Casap's phone that related to 'The Order of Nine Angles' which is 'a network of individuals holding neo-Nazi racially motivated extremist views,' according to CNN. They also found communications and photos that referenced 'a self-described manifesto regarding assassinating the president, making bombs and terrorist attacks.' According to Fox News, a document titled 'Accelerate the Collapse,' was found by authorities. It called for Trump's assassination, saying 'getting rid of the president and perhaps the vice president' is 'guaranteed to bring in some chaos. … Point being this manifesto is specifically for the attack that targets Trump.' There were also descriptions in the so-called manifesto of creating a political revolution in the U.S. 'to save the white race' from 'Jewish controlled' lawmakers. The document also included images of Adolf Hitler with the text 'HAIL HITLER HAIL THE WHITE RACE HAIL VICTORY.' Casap had paid, at least in part, for a drone and explosives to use for an attack, per BBC. He also was in contact with someone in Russia and had plans to escape to Ukraine. 'He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the president and overthrow the government of the United States,' investigators wrote, according to BBC. Casap had told a classmate that he was planning on killing his parents but didn't have a gun, per CNN. He also told the classmate that he and someone he was in contact with in Russia were planning to overthrow the government and assassinate Trump. On April 9, Casap had a preliminary court hearing. He has not entered any plea to the charges, per BBC. He is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment, where the charges against him will be formally given, on May 7. Casap is being held on a $1 million bond.
