Indian sentenced to 8 years for White House attack plot intended to replace Biden Govt with 'Nazi' ideology

A 20-year-old Indian national residing in the United States, Sai Varisth Kandula, was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday for attempting to attack the White House using a rented truck. The incident occurred in May 2023 and was aimed at overthrowing President Joe Biden's administration to establish a dictatorship inspired by Nazi ideology, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.  

The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich, includes an additional three years of supervised release following Kandula’s prison term. He has also been ordered to pay nearly $57,000 in restitution.  

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Kandula’s defence attorney, Scott Rosenblum, revealed that his client was suffering from schizophrenia and plagued by delusional thoughts. These included a belief that a "reptilian race" had installed a puppet regime in the United States, reported TOI.

Kandula reportedly told investigators that he was prepared to “arrange for the killing of the U.S. president and others if necessary” to achieve his goals.  

Prosecutors outlined that Kandula had meticulously planned the attack for weeks. Hours before the crash, he flew from St. Louis to Washington, D.C., rented a U-Haul truck in Herndon, Virginia, and drove it into metal barriers near Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.  

On May 4, 2023, Kandula also attempted to rent larger commercial vehicles, such as a dump truck or a tractor-trailer and sought to hire security guards for his plan. These efforts were unsuccessful, but he pressed on with his mission using the smaller U-Haul truck.  

The rented truck veered onto a sidewalk, nearly striking two people near a park bench before colliding with metal bollards designed to prevent vehicle access to Lafayette Square. Thankfully, no one was injured in the incident.  

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Following the crash, Kandula retrieved a Nazi flag from his backpack and displayed it at the scene. The Department of Justice reported that his actions caused the National Park Service $4,322 worth of damage. This included repairs to the barriers, cleanup of oil and chemicals, and disposal of fluids from the truck.  

The court emphasized the severity of Kandula’s actions, fueled by dangerous ideologies. While his schizophrenia and delusions played a role in his behavior, the planned nature of the attack underlined its seriousness.  

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• USA
• Jail time
• Joe Biden
• Nazi ideology
• White House attack