“Despite his dogged efforts, Ethan Collins will not be getting a job with the federal government. After three failed polygraph examinations while applying for a government gig, the Colorado resident finally admitted he actually hates the U.S. government and has an affinity for terrorism, revealing he had been planning for months to ‘take down’ several buildings. Then he disclosed his support for mass destruction – like the Nashville bombing and ISIS attacks, federal prosecutors said. ‘Collins considers himself as a patriot, not a terrorist, but at one point during the interview did state he felt he was a terrorist. Collins said he has spent a lot of time thinking about how easy it would be,’ according to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint unsealed Tuesday in Colorado. Court records indicate that Collins was arrested in Utah on Feb. 8 and charged with several crimes, including unlawful possession of a firearm and firearms silencers.”

“A federal judge there originally ordered Collins’ release, but Colorado federal prosecutors successfully filed a motion to keep him in custody. Prosecutors allege that in May 2020, Collins applied for a position with a ‘particular federal government agency’ that required a background check and a polygraph. After the three failed exams, Collins allegedly revealed his previous plans to ‘take down’ a handful of potential targets in the state, including the electrical power grid, the Federal Reserve, and several police stations in Denver. These fanciful plans, according to prosecutors, all began after Collins’ salary had been cut in half and his hours as a pilot reduced amid the lockdowns to mitigate the spread of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Already distrusting of the government and law enforcement, the lockdown only increased his anger toward both – and spurred his plan to first disrupt the power grid, prosecutors alleged” – Daily Beast.