Former Navy SEAL Faces Prison for Fireworks Attack Plot
A former Navy SEAL, accused of having neo-Nazi connections, is looking at a possible 10-year prison sentence for planning to use “mortar” fireworks against police during an anti-Trump rally in California, federal officials report.
Gregory Vandenberg, 49, was found guilty earlier this week of moving fireworks across state lines with intentions to harm law enforcement during protests in San Diego back in June.
When authorities apprehended him, he was wearing a T-shirt featuring a variation of the neo-Nazi symbol known as the black sun, along with other anti-Israel items.
The Justice Department reportedly stated that cell phone records revealed Vandenberg’s anger towards the government, which he believed was under the control of Israel and Jewish interests.
According to officials, Vandenberg acquired the explosives at a travel center in New Mexico while heading from El Paso to San Diego for the June 14 “No Kings Day” protests.
Investigators discovered that he specifically sought the most powerful fireworks, inquiring about their gunpowder content and their potential to injure law enforcement.
Ultimately, he chose six mortar fireworks intended to be launched into the air, along with 72 M-150 firecrackers that resembled gunfire. It was reported that he even solicited help from clerks to use these explosives against police at the rally.
Upon questioning whether the store would report him, a cashier triggered an emergency alert. Employees quickly noted his license plate and contacted the authorities.
Federal agents later located Vandenberg, who had been living out of his car in Tucson, Arizona, with the fireworks still in his possession. He was also spotted wearing a T-shirt inscribed with “Amalek,” a term he allegedly described as meaning “Destroyer of the Jews.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison commented, stating that while individuals in this country are free to hold and express beliefs, they cannot resort to using explosives to intimidate or harm others. “Vandenberg intended to turn the explosives into a tool of intimidation,” he added.
The jury deliberated for five days before reaching a verdict. Vandenberg remains in custody, facing a potential sentence of 10 years.
