Good Evening! End your Wednesday informed with SOFREP’s Evening Brief, featuring the top stories in defense and global affairs for June 4, 2025: The FBI seized 35 weapons, explosives, and Nazi gear from a white nationalist-linked home in Washington tied to stolen military items. Separately, two Chinese nationals were charged with smuggling a dangerous crop fungus into the US, raising agroterrorism alarms. Human Rights Watch accused Rwanda-backed M23 rebels of executing civilians in eastern Congo. Zelenskyy rejected Russia’s ceasefire offer and pushed for direct talks with Putin, mediated by the US. Thailand chose the Swedish Gripen jets over US F-16s in a $500 million deal, while the Philippines ordered 12 more FA-50 jets from South Korea for $700 million.
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FBI Seize Machine Gun, Explosives, and Nazi Gear in Washington State Raid
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local law enforcement uncovered a large weapons cache and Nazi paraphernalia during a raid Monday night in Lacey, Washington, tied to a violent robbery and theft of military gear from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The FBI and the US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) led the operation, with assistance from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities arrested two suspects, who are now held in Thurston County Jail for firearms violations.
Sheriff Derek Sanders confirmed the suspects were involved in Nazi white nationalist activities. The raid resulted in the seizure of 35 firearms, including short-barrel rifles, a World War II-era MG42 machine gun, grenade launchers, explosives, body armor, and ammunition. Several rifles were positioned at windows inside the home.
Good Evening! End your Wednesday informed with SOFREP’s Evening Brief, featuring the top stories in defense and global affairs for June 4, 2025: The FBI seized 35 weapons, explosives, and Nazi gear from a white nationalist-linked home in Washington tied to stolen military items. Separately, two Chinese nationals were charged with smuggling a dangerous crop fungus into the US, raising agroterrorism alarms. Human Rights Watch accused Rwanda-backed M23 rebels of executing civilians in eastern Congo. Zelenskyy rejected Russia’s ceasefire offer and pushed for direct talks with Putin, mediated by the US. Thailand chose the Swedish Gripen jets over US F-16s in a $500 million deal, while the Philippines ordered 12 more FA-50 jets from South Korea for $700 million.
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FBI Seize Machine Gun, Explosives, and Nazi Gear in Washington State Raid
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local law enforcement uncovered a large weapons cache and Nazi paraphernalia during a raid Monday night in Lacey, Washington, tied to a violent robbery and theft of military gear from Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The FBI and the US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) led the operation, with assistance from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities arrested two suspects, who are now held in Thurston County Jail for firearms violations.
Sheriff Derek Sanders confirmed the suspects were involved in Nazi white nationalist activities. The raid resulted in the seizure of 35 firearms, including short-barrel rifles, a World War II-era MG42 machine gun, grenade launchers, explosives, body armor, and ammunition. Several rifles were positioned at windows inside the home.
Images released by Sanders showed Nazi flags and symbols alongside the weapons. The FBI confirmed its involvement but deferred detailed comment to CID and local authorities.
Federal charges are expected to be unveiled in court in Tacoma on Wednesday.
Chinese Nationals Charged with Smuggling Potential Agroterrorism Pathogen into US
Federal authorities charged Chinese nationals Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, with conspiracy, smuggling, false statements, and visa fraud for allegedly importing a dangerous agricultural fungus into the US.
The FBI arrested Jian, who had received Chinese government funding to work on Fusarium graminearum—a toxin-producing fungus classified as a potential agroterrorism weapon.
The complaint states that Liu smuggled the fungus through Detroit Metro Airport to conduct research at a University of Michigan lab where Jian worked. The pathogen causes “head blight” in staple crops like wheat and rice, with toxins that can harm both humans and livestock.
Investigators allege Jian is a loyal member of the Chinese Communist Party and accuse the pair of exploiting academic access to threaten US biosecurity.
The fungus has caused billions in crop damage globally. The FBI and US Customs and Border Protection halted the operation in coordination with national security teams.
Jian is scheduled for an initial court appearance in Detroit. The case remains under investigation and no indictments have yet been filed.
Human Rights Watch Accuses Rwanda-Backed M23 of Mass Civilian Executions in Eastern DRC
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the M23 militia, backed by Rwanda, of committing mass executions of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement Tuesday, HRW reported that M23 fighters summarily executed at least 21 civilians on February 22–23 in Goma’s Kasika neighborhood. The victims included a 15-year-old boy, and HRW suspects the actual death toll is higher.
The killings occurred near a former Congolese army barracks after M23’s lightning offensive captured Goma in January. Witnesses reported that victims were executed without resistance, suggesting deliberate killings rather than battlefield casualties.
HRW labeled the incident a war crime and said M23 appears to be consolidating control through intimidation and violence.
HRW urged the international community to hold Rwanda accountable for its support of M23, stating Rwanda could be complicit in these war crimes. The group used eyewitness accounts, video, and photographic evidence to substantiate its claims.
M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka dismissed the report as propaganda and denied wrongdoing.
The killings follow a pattern of repression by M23 since it began governing captured territories in eastern DRC. Congolese forces and allied militias, including the “Wazalendo,” have largely withdrawn, enabling M23 to tighten its grip on the region.
Zelenskyy Rejects Russian Ceasefire Proposal, Calls for Direct Talks with Putin and US Mediation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Russia’s latest ceasefire proposal as a repackaged ultimatum and urged direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to advance toward peace.
Zelenskyy labeled the proposal submitted during Monday’s second round of peace talks in Istanbul as “spam” and “artificial diplomacy,” accusing Moscow of stalling to ease sanctions and appear cooperative to the US.
Zelenskyy criticized the Istanbul talks as unproductive, stating that Russia merely reiterated its previous demands in writing. He said there’s little point in continuing talks at the delegation level and called for a high-level summit with Putin, potentially mediated by US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy proposed a ceasefire ahead of such a summit, arguing that mutual understanding at the top level would determine whether the truce holds. He suggested Istanbul, the Vatican, or Switzerland as possible venues for the meeting, which Ukraine is ready to attend starting next Monday.
Monday’s peace talks yielded no breakthroughs, with both sides only agreeing to exchange dead and seriously wounded troops. Zelenskyy noted that a new prisoner exchange could happen this weekend.
The war, now in its fourth year, continues with no sign of resolution.
Thailand Chooses Swedish Gripen Jets Over US F-16s in $500M Deal
Thailand announced plans Wednesday to purchase four Swedish-made Gripen E/F fighter jets in a $500 million deal, bypassing US-built F-16s as it begins a decade-long overhaul of its air combat fleet.
The new jets from Saab will replace the Royal Thai Air Force’s aging F-16 A/B aircraft acquired in the 1980s.
Thai Air Force Chief Punpakdee Pattanakul called the move a key step in protecting national sovereignty. A procurement committee endorsed the Gripen over the F-16 after a 10-month evaluation process. The procurement will go before the Thai cabinet in mid-July and is expected to be finalized by late August.
The purchase marks the first phase of a plan to acquire 12 fighters over ten years.
Thailand already operates 11 older Gripens alongside a fleet of F-16s. However, the choice of the Swedish jets could complicate Bangkok’s efforts to ease tensions with the US, particularly over President Trump’s proposed 36 percent tariffs under his “reciprocal” trade policy.
Philippines Orders 12 More FA-50 Fighter Jets in $700M Deal with South Korea
The Philippines has signed a $700 million contract to acquire 12 additional FA-50 fighter jets from South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the manufacturer confirmed Wednesday.
The deal, set for completion by 2030, follows the country’s initial 2014 purchase of a dozen of the light attack aircraft.
KAI said the upgraded FA-50s will include aerial refueling capability, AESA radar, and enhanced weapons systems for both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.
The Philippine government has not yet formally confirmed the agreement.
The order comes three months after one FA-50 crashed during a mission against communist rebels in Mindanao, killing both crew members. Investigators attributed the incident to terrain and visibility issues, not mechanical failure. The fleet was temporarily grounded but later cleared for service.
The Philippine Air Force had already been considering expanding its FA-50 fleet prior to the crash.
Sources: News Agencies, The Associated Press
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