LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple sites of two U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California after arresting members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group.
The four suspects were arrested Friday in the Mojave Desert east of Los Angeles as they were rehearsing their plot. Officials presented aerial footage of the suspects moving suspicious materials in the desert, indicating they were close to assembling a functional explosive device.
Identified as Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41, all from the Los Angeles area, they were associated with the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which advocates for decolonization and tribal sovereignty.
The suspects had created a detailed plan titled “Operation Midnight Sun,” outlining an attack on five business locations, coined as “Amazon-type” logistical centers. Their tactic revolved around detonation during New Year’s celebrations, anticipating the fireworks would mask their explosions.
Authorities found bomb-making materials and several “Free Palestine” flyers at their campsite, further complicating the motivations behind their planned attack. The suspects face serious charges of conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.
