Federal authorities said Monday that four people have been arrested for allegedly planning bomb attacks on New Year’s Eve in the Los Angeles area.
In a statement on X, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote that the Department of Justice and FBI had thwarted “what would have been a massive and horrific terror plot,” and that the suspects “also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles.” The suspects were charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the alleged perpetrators were planning to use explosive devices in five locations across the Los Angeles area. The sites were not publicly disclosed, but First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described them as “Amazon-type logistics centers.”
Bondi said the Turtle Island Liberation Front — a small activist group she described as “far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government and anti-capitalist” — was responsible. The organization’s main Instagram account had fewer than 60 followers Monday afternoon and its Los Angeles chapter fewer than 1,000.
At a press briefing Monday, federal and local officials showed recent aerial footage of an undisclosed desert location, where they said group members were testing explosive devices.
“Since this threat was uncovered last week, our sheriff’s task force officers and intelligence analysts, working closely with our law enforcement partners, have been working around the clock to verify information, identify targets and piece together this plot that you’ve heard described,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.