🔗 Share this article

US authorities stated on Monday that they had successfully thwarted a detailed plot to explode bombs at numerous locations run by two American firms on New Year's Eve in the LA region. The operation came after the arrest of people linked to an extremist faction advocating for anti-corporate and anti-government beliefs.

Individuals Detained During Remote Dry Run

Four suspects were detained last Friday in the Mojave Desert found east of Los Angeles at the time they were reportedly running through their planned strike. Federal attorneys displayed aerial monitoring video to journalists, that captured the group transporting a large obscure object to a workspace. Law enforcement noted that the arrests took place before the suspects could assemble a operational IED.

Names of the Accused Made Public

Based on the filed criminal complaint, the four people listed are Carroll, aged 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Lai, 41. All four are said to be from the Los Angeles area.

Reported Driving Force and Connections

While authorities did not clearly detail a rationale, they stated the group are members of a offshoot known as the Turtle Island Liberation Front. This organization allegedly calls for "the working class to rebel and fight back against corporate power," according to the legal filing.

The charges involve conspiracy and possession of a destructive device. The government stated that further counts are anticipated in the next few weeks.

Elements of the Alleged "Midnight Sun Operation"

Officials said that one of the accused had drafted a step-by-step blueprint last month to bomb multiple commercial sites across Southern California on New Year's Eve. The targets were characterized as "like Amazon" fulfillment warehouses.

"The plan was specific," a prosecutor remarked. "It laid out a precise guide to make bombs … and named numerous targets across Orange County and Los Angeles."

According to the investigation and court documents, the scheme entailed planting bags packed with complex explosive devices that were scheduled to be detonated at the same time at midnight on New Year's Eve at several places. New Year's Eve was seen as an opportune time because the plan indicated "celebratory explosions will be going off at this time so detonations will be harder to be noticed."

The handwritten, eight-page longhand plan, titled "OPERATION MIDNIGHT SUN," suggested that additional targets could be added. The facilities were categorized as assets and operations run by two different companies involved in activities involving commerce.

Additional Schemes and Proof Uncovered

The criminal complaint also indicated that two members in the faction had talked about later strikes aimed at ICE agents personnel and vehicles with IEDs in 2026. One accused reportedly noted that such actions "would kill some and scare the rest of them."

The plotting were reportedly planned both at an face-to-face meeting in Los Angeles and through an secure messaging app.

Images contained in the legal filings depict a isolated site with what investigators identified as bomb-making materials strewn across portable tables.

The complaint states that the suspects "each brought IED parts to the site, among them various sizes of plastic pipes, identified as potassium nitrate, fuel, powdered charcoal, another chemical, and components to be used as igniters, and more."

The plan also included guidance on how to build the bombs and how to avoid leaving traces that could be linked back to the individuals. The individuals had recently acquired chemical ingredients and other materials, via purchases from online retailers.

Operation and Subsequent Actions

Federal agents moved in last week when the suspects were practicing the operation in the isolated region near a desert community. "They owned all the components they were necessary to make an operational bomb at that location," an official stated.

In the course of executed search warrants, authorities allegedly discovered signs for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at one individual's home that called for "America Must Fall", and "Eliminate ICE". At another accused's home, police discovered a duplicate of the elaborate attack blueprint.

Those arrested were arrested without incident. They were scheduled to appear in court in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.