A trial date has been set for the Coast Guard officer charged earlier this year with stockpiling weapons and drug possession and who also allegedly maintained a hit list of prominent Democrats and journalists and told friends he dreamed of ways "to kill almost every last person on the earth."
Lt. Christopher Paul Hasson will appear in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Oct. 21 for what is scheduled to be a six-day jury trial. The officer, whom government officials called a "domestic terrorist" in initial court filings, has remained in custody since his arrest Feb 15.
Hasson had been working as an acquisitions officer on the Coast Guard's National Security Cutter program at the service’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. at the time of his arrest. A former Marine who also served two years in the Army National Guard, he was arrested at his home in Silver Spring, Maryland, in possession of 15 firearms, including shotguns, semi-automatic rifles and handguns, and more than 1,000 rounds of mixed ammunition.
He also possessed the pain medication Tramadol, to which he admitted to friends he was addicted, according to court papers.
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A search of Hasson's house reportedly uncovered extensive writings and musings on neo-fascism, neo-Nazism and white supremacy. Officials said he had researched far-right extremist and mass murderer Anders Breivik and wrote that he needed to "to take serious look at appropriate individual targets, to bring greatest impact. Professors, DR's, Politician's, Judges, leftists in general."
He also allegedly maintained a list of potential targets that included Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-California; Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut; and MSNBC host and former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough.
But he is not charged with planning any terrorism-related acts.
Hasson's attorneys had sought his release to family homes in Virginia while awaiting trial. A magistrate approved the plan but gave time for prosecutors to appeal. In May, U.S. District Judge George Hazel overturned the decision, ruling after an evidentiary hearing that showed Hasson's assault-style weapons, body armor and silencer parts that he should remain in custody.
Hazel will preside over the trial, according to the court calendar.
-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime.
