In a shocking revelation, Ryan Wesley Routh, the individual apprehended in relation to the second assassination attempt on former President Trump, had previously been flagged by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials for further scrutiny upon his return from Ukraine in 2023.
However, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chose not to pursue the case.
As reported by The Post Millennial, Routh was interrogated by CBP officials at the Honolulu airport. During this interaction, he confessed to having recruited up to 100 fighters from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan to aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The CBP was aware of Routh's travels to Warsaw, Poland, near the Ukraine border, and Istanbul, Turkey, in 2022 and 2023.
Routh allegedly provided the interviewing agents with a business card, identifying him as the director of an organization named the "International Volunteer Center. This group purportedly maintained connections with Syria, Pakistan, and Israel. The CBP interview notes stated, "Subject is a USC who had traveled to Kiev, Ukraine for 3 months to help recruit Soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan, to fight in the Ukrainian war against Russia."
The notes further revealed, "Subject stated that he does not get paid for his recruiting efforts and all his work for the Ukrainian government is strictly volunteer work. The notes also mentioned, Subject provided his recruiting business card (cards have been uploaded into the event) which list his recruiting partners that he speaks with to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Romanian, Pakistan, Syria, and Israel."
Despite these alarming revelations, the Homeland Security Investigations division declined to pursue the case. HSI was contacted and refused the case, the interview memo stated.
In the aftermath of Routh's arrest on Sunday, it was disclosed that the FBI had received a tip-off in 2019 about Routh being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jeffrey Veltri, the special agent in charge of the FBIs Miamis field office, said in a Monday press conference, "In following up on the tip, the alleged complainant was interviewed and did not verify, I repeat, did not verify providing the initial information. The FBI passed that information to local law enforcement in Honolulu." Routh now faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The incident on Sunday unfolded when the Secret Service opened fire as Trump was playing golf in Florida. They had spotted a suspicious individual in the bushes armed with a gun. The suspect fled the scene but was later apprehended on I-95. Officials reported that an "AK-47 style rifle with a scope, two backpacks which were hung on the fence that had ceramic tile in them, and a GoPro" were discovered in the bushes at the golf course.
Routh's social media activity reveals a strong support for Ukraine, with posts stating that he was "willing to die" for the country. He was featured in the New York Times in 2023 for his work in recruiting and transporting fighters to support Ukraine. Furthermore, Routh authored a book in 2023, advocating for Ukraine's victory in the "unwinnable war" against Russia and even called for Iran to assassinate Trump. This case raises significant questions about the effectiveness of our national security apparatus and the need for more stringent measures to ensure the safety of our nation's leaders.
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