Ex-Navy SEAL's Conviction: A Plot to Use Explosives at San Diego Rally

A former Navy SEAL who harbors neo-Nazi ideologies could face a decade behind bars after a conviction for moving fireworks across state boundaries with plans to harm police during a protest in San Diego, according to authorities.

The FBI uncovered messages on Gregory Vandenberg’s phone where he expressed dissatisfaction with President Trump, believing the U.S. is under the domination of Israel and Jewish people, as reported by the Department of Justice.

Gregory Vandenberg, aged 49, had plans to journey from El Paso to San Diego with intentions to use dangerous fireworks at a protest on June 14, prosecutors conveyed.

Numerous protestors flooded Southern California streets on the designated Saturday, voicing discontent over immigration raids and pushing back against their characterization of President Trump as a would-be king.

Agents searching his vehicle discovered T-shirts featuring a neo-Nazi insignia, a flag of a militant faction known as the Caucasian Front, an Al Qaeda banner, and a Latin slogan calling for Judea’s destruction, along with other anti-Israel and radical materials, prosecutors noted.

On June 12, Vandenberg made a stop at a travel center in Lordsburg, New Mexico, purchasing six significant mortar fireworks and 72 M-150 firecrackers designed to mimic gunshots. He frequently voiced intentions to use these to injure police at upcoming California protests and encouraged a cashier to partake, as explained by prosecutors.

Residing in his vehicle with unstable employment, Vandenberg told the cashier of his extensive explosives knowledge, bolstered by his special operations background. His focus lay in the fireworks’ powerful impact rather than their aesthetic appeal. He even considered enhancing their effect by binding fireworks together.

Sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with 'Amalek'—his signifier for 'destroyer of Jews' rooted in the Torah—he displayed an image of the Taliban flag as his phone’s home screen, prosecutors claimed.

Upon refusing to present identification, Vandenberg expressed paranoia about being tracked by the store, falsely claiming non-American origins. The encounter left staff unsettled, leading them to record his license plate and alert law enforcement.

Federal agents tracked Vandenberg to Tucson, Arizona, apprehending him on June 13 as he slept in his car at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. He told officials he was making a work trip and visiting friends in Phoenix, despite his unemployment, prosecutors remarked.

Trial and Conviction

Following a five-day trial and about three hours of jury deliberation, Vandenberg was found guilty of transporting explosives with intent to harm, intimidate, or kill, and attempting to illegally bring fireworks into California. He remains detained awaiting sentencing.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison emphasized that this outcome underlines that violent expressions of political beliefs will encounter federal repercussions.

Ellison stated, 'In the U.S., individuals are entitled to their views and can peacefully express them. However, utilizing explosives to threaten or terrorize is not permissible. Vandenberg aimed to make explosives an intimidation tool.'