Federal authorities say they have disrupted a planned series of coordinated bomb attacks that were to be carried out on New Year\u2019s Eve at multiple business sites in Southern California, following the arrest of four alleged members of an extremist anti-capitalist group.<\/p>\n
The suspects were taken into custody on Friday in the Mojave Desert, east of Los Angeles, as they rehearsed elements of the alleged plot, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. Officials said the arrests were made before the group was able to assemble fully functional explosive devices.<\/p>\n
Those charged were identified as Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41, all residents of the Los Angeles area. Each faces federal charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, with prosecutors indicating additional charges may follow.<\/p>\n
Authorities said the suspects are believed to be affiliated with an offshoot of a group calling itself the Turtle Island Liberation Front, an extremist organization that promotes anti-government, anti-capitalist ideology and calls for decolonization and tribal sovereignty. The term \u201cTurtle Island\u201d is used by some Indigenous communities to describe North America, though officials emphasized the group\u2019s rhetoric and alleged actions do not represent Indigenous peoples broadly.<\/p>\n
Investigators said Carroll authored a detailed, handwritten plan titled \u201cOperation Midnight Sun,\u201d<\/em> outlining step-by-step instructions to construct improvised explosive devices and deploy them simultaneously at five or more business locations at midnight on New Year\u2019s Eve. The intended targets were described as large logistics or distribution centers operated by two major companies involved in interstate commerce.<\/p>\n According to court documents, the plan identified New Year\u2019s Eve as an optimal time for the attacks, noting that fireworks could mask the sound of explosions. Officials also said the suspects discussed possible future attacks, including plans targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel and vehicles in 2026.<\/p>\n During the arrests, law enforcement recovered what they described as bomb-making components at a desert campsite, including PVC pipes, suspected explosive precursor chemicals, and materials believed to be intended for use as fuses. Authorities said the suspects had recently acquired several of the materials through online purchases.<\/p>\n Searches conducted at residences linked to the suspects uncovered extremist propaganda, including posters calling for violence against the United States and law enforcement agencies, as well as copies of the alleged bombing plan. Flyers bearing the message \u201cFree Palestine\u201d were also found at the campsite, though officials did not elaborate on how that messaging related to the alleged plot.<\/p>\n Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the case highlighted the importance of cooperation between federal and local law enforcement agencies, even amid policy disagreements on other issues.<\/p>\n \u201cThe successful disruption of this plot is a testament to coordination and vigilance,\u201d McDonnell said, adding that public safety remained the shared priority.<\/p>\n The suspects were arrested without incident and were scheduled to make their initial court appearances in Los Angeles on Monday. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Federal authorities say they have disrupted a planned series of coordinated bomb attacks that were to be carried out on New Year\u2019s Eve at multiple business sites in Southern California, following the arrest of four alleged members of an extremist anti-capitalist group. The suspects were taken into custody on Friday in the Mojave Desert, east<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14722,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,239],"tags":[2490,2489,1359,2492,1365,2491,1959,1087],"class_list":{"0":"post-14721","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general-news","8":"category-usa-canada","9":"tag-extremism","10":"tag-fbi","11":"tag-law-enforcement","12":"tag-new-years-eve","13":"tag-security","14":"tag-southern-california","15":"tag-terrorism","16":"tag-united-states"},"yoast_head":"\n