Coast Guard lieutenant accused of planning domestic terrorism denied bail

A Coast Guard lieutenant who was arrested Wednesday in Maryland and accused of plotting to kill top Democrats and members of the media was denied bail by a judge.

Lt. Christopher Hasson was denied bail by U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Day after a federal prosecutor told the court that drug and gun charges brought against Hasson were “just the tip of the iceberg,” while characterizing the lieutenant as a “domestic terrorist,” according to The Associated Press.

Day reportedly told prosecutors at the bail hearing Thursday that he would revisit his decision in 134 days if federal prosecutors do not bring more serious charges against Hasson by the deadline.

{mosads}Prosecutors argued Thursday that Hasson “identified himself as a White Nationalist for over 30 years and advocated for ‘focused violence’ in order to establish a white homeland” in emails to a neo-Nazi leader, according to the AP.

Hasson’s public defender insisted that his gun collection represented a “modest, at best” gun collection.

The public defender also argued that Hasson’s use of a government work computer to research terrorists such as Anders Breivik and compile a spreadsheet of Democrats including Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) did not amount to threats or intent to harm anyone.

Others on the spreadsheet included CNN’s Chris Cuomo and MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough. Hasson had also searched for revealing phrases on his computer, according to prosecutors, such as “do senators have [Secret Service] protection.”

“It is not a crime to think negative thoughts about people,” Julie Stelzig told the court, according to the AP.

Previously an aircraft mechanic for the Marines, Hasson was arrested Wednesday with 15 guns and 1,000 rounds of ammunition at his Silver Spring apartment.

“The defendant intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country,” prosecutors said Wednesday upon his arrest. “He must be detained pending trial.”