The war in Iran may have been one of the factors that prompted the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents' Dinner 10 days ago, according to a US Secret Service report sent to state and local authorities in the US.
The report, a preliminary assessment compiled by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis on April 27, indicates that the suspect, Cole Thomas Allen, had "numerous social and political grievances."
Based, among other things, on Allen's social media posts criticizing American policies in the Middle East, the report concludes that the conflict in Iran "may have influenced his decision to carry out the attack."
US authorities have not yet provided full details on the 31-year-old's motives, but have highlighted as important evidence an email he sent to family members the night of the incident. The message, described by investigators as a "manifesto", expressed anger at the government and mentioned the intention to hit a "traitor" during a speech, without mentioning President Trump by name.
The charges also point out that Allen disagreed politically with Trump and aimed to react to government policies and decisions that he considered morally unacceptable.
Meanwhile, the FBI is continuing to analyze his digital activity and behavior on social media, according to a senior official quoted by Reuters.
