A Maryland man plotting to drive a U-Haul truck into a crowd at the National Harbor just south of Washington, D.C., claimed to be inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group, according to federal prosecutors.
Rondell Henry, 28, who was detained on the charge of driving a stolen vehicle across state lines, told authorities he was “just going to keep driving and driving and driving.” Henry picked the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md., as it is a popular tourist destination outside of the nation’s capital, authorities said.
Henry stole the U-Haul truck early on the morning of March 27 in Alexandria, Va., according to court documents. Police found Henry’s registration records in a BMW near the mall parking lot where the truck was stolen and arrested him the next day at the National Harbor.
The use of motor vehicles in deadly attacks against unsuspecting civilians has become a common theme in recent years. In a 2016 terrorist attack in Nice, France, a man drove a truck into a crowd, killing over 80 people and injuring another 450. And in 2017, a white nationalist drove a vehicle into a crowd, killing one and injuring dozens of other people.
Henry was allegedly inspired by watching videos of foreign terrorists, the detention memo said.
“We continue to gather evidence, as well as review evidence already obtained as part of this ongoing investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Hur.
The Department of Justice is expected to release more details of the case Monday evening.
