US: Indian-origin man sentenced to eight years in prison for attempted Nazi-inspired attack on White House in 2023

The US Department of Justice identified the person as  20-year-old Sai Varshith Kandula.

The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge William McCool of the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division, Chief Jessica M. Taylor of the U.S. Park Police, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Kandula pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024, to a charge of willful injury or depredation of property of the United States before U.S. District Court Judge Dabney L. Friedrich, read a statement issued by the US Department of Justice.

Kandula, who was born in Hyderabad, is a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. with a green card.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Kandula to serve three years of supervised release.

How did the Indian-origin man try to attack the White House?

As per the US Department of Justice issued statement, Kandula flew on a commercial flight from St. Louis, Missouri, to Washington D.C. on the afternoon of May 22, 2023, connecting through another airport on a one-way airline ticket. 
Kandula arrived at Dulles International Airport about 5:20 p.m., and rented a truck at 6:30 p.m.

He stopped for food and gas, and then drove to Washington, D.C., where he crashed into the barriers protecting White House and President’s Park at 9:35 p.m. at the intersection of H Street, Northwest and 16th Street, Northwest.

Kandula drove onto the sidewalk, sending pedestrians running from the scene. After striking the barriers, the truck backed up in reverse, then lurched forward, striking the metal barriers a second time.

The second impact disabled the truck which began smoking from the engine compartment and leaking fluids.

"Kandula next exited the vehicle and went to the back of the truck. From a backpack he removed a flag, a three-by-five foot red-and-white banner with a Nazi Swastika in the center, and brandished it. U.S. Park Police and the U.S. Secret Service officers arrested Kandula at the scene and took him into custody," read the statement.

According to the plea agreement, at the time Kandula crashed the truck into the White House perimeter, he was attempting to gain access to the White House to seize political power.

Kandula’s intent was to replace the democratically elected government with a dictatorship fueled by ideology of Nazi Germany and for himself to be put in charge of the United States.

Kandula admitted to investigators that he would have arranged for the killing of the U.S. President and others if necessary to achieve his objective.

His actions were calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion.

Kandula’s actions caused $4,322 in damage to the National Park Service.