Pelosi, journalists targeted in Coast Guard terror plot

A member of the U.S. Coast Guard's detachment at its headquarters in Washington, D.C., is being accused of planning to "murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country."

Military.com quoted documents filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland.

The lieutenant, Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson, was arrested Feb. 15 on drug and gun possession charges, the report said.

Significantly, the "potential targets" included "prominent Democratic congressional leaders, activists, political organizations, and MSNBC and CNN media personalities" such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.; Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York; and others, authorities said.

Hasson was serving as an acquisitions officer for the National Security Cutter Acquisition Program, the report said.

"A motion for detention pending trial, filed by U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur, paints a much more menacing portrait of Hasson's crimes and planned crimes," Military.com said.

Hur said: "The current charges, however, are the proverbial tip of the iceberg. The defendant is a domestic terrorist, bent on committing acts dangerous to human life that are intended to affect government conduct."

Hasson was found to be in possession of 15 guns, including shotguns and handguns, as well as more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, when he was taken into custody in Silver Spring, Maryland, the report said.

Hur noted a search of Hasson's computers found an email draft from two years ago in which he dreamed about "a way to kill almost every last person on the earth." He speculated about Spanish flu, botulism, anthrax and more.

The suspect also allegedly drafted a letter to "known American neo-Nazi leader."

"An active-duty Coast Guard member stationed at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., was arrested last week on illegal weapons and drug charges as a result of an ongoing investigation led by Coast Guard Investigation Services, in cooperation with the FBI and the Dept. of Justice," said Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride in a statement.

"Because this is an open investigation, the Coast Guard has no further details at this time."

AP reported Hasson's attorney declined to comment.