Federal officials say a New Year’s Eve bombing plot targeting multiple locations in Southern California was stopped with the arrest of four people authorities allege were preparing coordinated attacks.
According to ABC 7, Audrey Carroll, Zachary Page, Dante Gaffield, and Tina Lai were taken into custody last week in Lucerne Valley, a remote desert area near Twentynine Palms. Prosecutors say the four are affiliated with the Turtle Island Liberation Front, an anti-government and anti-capitalist group. All are from the Los Angeles area and are charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
At a Monday press conference, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said investigators expect to file additional charges. Authorities also confirmed they believe other members of the group exist, but say those arrested were the individuals directly involved in the alleged bombing plan.
Court records state the investigation escalated after Carroll allegedly shared a handwritten document with an FBI confidential human source in November. The document, titled “Operation Midnight Sun,” described a plan to deploy backpacks containing improvised explosive devices at five locations, timed to detonate simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
“These bombs were to blow up at the same time at midnight this New Year’s Eve,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis. “The plan stated that the IEDs would be complex pipe bombs and included instructions on how to manufacture the bombs and contain guidance on how to avoid leaving evidence behind that can be traced back.”
Investigators say they later monitored the group at a desert campsite where bomb components were allegedly assembled under a tent meant to shield materials from the sun. Items recovered included PVC pipes, suspected potassium nitrate, sulfur powder, charcoal, and fuse materials.
Authorities also allege the group used a Signal chat called “Order of the Black Lotus” to coordinate their actions. During a search of Carroll’s home, agents reportedly found posters tied to the group, including ones reading “DEATH TO ICE” and “DEATH TO AMERICA, LONG LIVE TURTLE ISLAND & PALESTINE.”
