Self-Described “Hardcore Leftist” who Fought in Syria arrested for targeting Trump Supporters

Efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to confirm claims that Antifa members had fought abroad in Northern Syria were roundly mocked by mainstream media and their intelligence sources inside the bureaucracy.  But now a man who fought abroad in Syria and described himself as a “hardcore leftist” has been arrested by federal law enforcement for allegedly targeting Trump supporters, and members of the U.S. military.

Daniel Alan Baker was arrested January 15^th in Tallahassee, Florida. According to the complaint Baker briefly served in the U.S. Army before receiving a less than honorable discharge, was featured in a VICE News piece about American foreign fighters in Syria, and participated in BLM protests in Seattle and Nashville, including participating in the Seattle Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) where several people were killed.

According to the complaint Baker had served with the Kurdish YPG (Self-Protection Units) in Northern Syria, where he helped to train foreign fighters on military tactics at the YPG International Academy. According to overseas sources Baker allegedly told fellow fighters he intended to return to the United States to target Turkish military pilots training in the U.S.

Law enforcement describes Baker as having, “made multiple threats to those he claims to be white supremacists, fascists, United States persons with different ideologies than his, and allies of the United States.” Baker self-identified as an anarchist and posted pictures on his social media account showing an Antifa flag.

According to the complaint, Baker had prepared flyers calling for an armed uprising to target Trump supporters at an alleged planned protest outside the Florida Capitol building under the title “Call to Arms,” and created a Facebook event entitled “Defend Tallahassee.” Baker included the common Antifa slogan “Cops and Klan go Hand in Hand” warning participants not to “help cops.”

It is not clear what if any ties Baker to any larger Antifa network, although it is noteworthy that reporting suggests that Baker was largely homeless and unemployed from 2007 when he left the army, until 2017 when he traveled to Syria to fight.  How Baker was able to raise the funds to travel to Syria and return is not explained.

Despite claims to the contrary, Antifa remains an international movement with support in multiple countries. As J. Michael Waller notes in his contribution for the Center’s monograph Unmasking Antifa: Five Perspectives on a Growing Threat, “evidence indicates that Antifa or Antifa-related militants have received paramilitary training and insurgent combat experience in Syria” citing a 2020 DHS report.

le0407 (Rojava) – Fahnen by Gregor Wünsch is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0