Army soldier from Conway charged with distributing bomb info, wanting to attack U.S.
A U.S. Army private from Conway was charged with providing information to make bombs and discussing attacks on news stations and a left-wing group in America, according to court records.
Army officials confirmed Jarrett William Smith lists Conway, S.C., as his home.
Authorities charged Smith with distribution of information related to explosives, destructive devices and weapons of mass destruction on Monday in federal court in Kansas.
Smith provided bomb-making information and discussed wanting to go to Ukraine to fight with a far-right paramilitary group, according to an arrest affidavit.
Before joining the Army in 2017, Smith had a conversation with a man who traveled to Ukraine and fought with another right-wing group. During the conversation he said if he couldn’t get to Ukraine he’d join the U.S. Army.
Last month, Smith also spoke to a confidential source in a group chat about a plan to attack in the U.S., investigators said. Smith was looking for more “radicals” like himself, the affidavit states. Smith discussed killing members of the far-left group Antifa and destroying cellphone towers or local news stations.
Smith told the source that a major news network headquarters would be a suggested target using a vehicle bomb, according to the affidavit.
In one case, the affidavit details a conversation Smith had with the source where Smith described the materials to make a bomb. But, an FBI bomb technician said Smith’s instructions would not result in a viable device. Smith also discussed an attack on Democratic politician Beto O’Rourke.
An FBI agent spoke to Smith who said he provided instructions on how to make improvised explosive devices in online chatrooms. Smith also said he gives the information to people that tell him they intend to harm others, according to the affidavit.
“Smith stated that he did this to cause ‘chaos,’” the court filing reads. “He told me that if chaos results in the death of people, even through information he provided, it doesn’t affect him.”
Pvt. 1st Class Smith was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, home to the Army’s 1st Infantry Division. He was previously stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, according to court paperwork.
This story was originally published September 23, 2019 at 3:42 PM.
