Brothers charged after weapons, explosives and 'hit list' of celeb targets found in New York
Two brothers have been charged after a stockpile of 3D-printed guns, improvised explosives, anarchist propaganda and a "hit list" of celebrities and authority figures was found at their family home.
Andrew Hatziagelis, 39, and Angelo Hatziagelis, 51 were charged with 130 counts of various crimes, including alleged criminal possession and sale of weapons, US officials have said.
Investigators moved against the pair after being told that they were buying firearm parts and accessories and making illegal "ghost guns", Sky News' US partner NBC reported.
Ghost guns are firearms that don't have a serial number, and are therefore untraceable.
They can be bought online and assembled at home, the anti-gun violence group Brady said on its website.
Brady said "ghost gun kits" include all of the parts and often the equipment necessary to build these weapons at home.
After being granted a search warrant earlier this month, detectives found an array of weapons, including two loaded AR-15-style ghost guns with detachable magazines, and a partially built bomb tripwire.
They also seized four loaded 9mm semi-automatic ghost gun pistols, two of them 3D-printed, one AK-47-style ghost gun assault rifle and more than 600 rounds of ammunition.
Police also found a 3D printer and other tools to assemble the ghost guns, as well as three sets of body armour and various notebooks on how to make explosives, plus anarchist propaganda.
The "hit list" - scribbled on a piece of paper - mentioned cops, judges, politicians and celebrities - as well as "corporate scum" and "bankerscum" - along with the messages "wipe out the scum" and "wipe out the Earth".
Before entering the brothers' home in New York, police ordered the entire building on 36th Avenue, which is opposite a power plant, to be evacuated, such was their concern about the explosives.
The two men lived with their mother and another brother, neither of whom are facing charges, NBC New York said, quoting police.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement: "The city is safer. We cannot measure the number of lives that were saved, but we do know that these weapons will never hurt anyone."