Two suspects were charged by federal authorities on Monday in connection with an alleged terrorist plot over Halloween weekend in Michigan that was thwarted by the FBI before an attack could happen.
The men were identified as Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud. They face federal charges of receiving and transferring, and attempting and conspiring to transfer firearms and ammunition to commit terrorism, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of Michigan.
On Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced multiple suspects who allegedly planned a “potential terrorist attack” were arrested.
“The FBI stopped a potential terrorist attack in Michigan before it could unfold,” Patel said in a subsequent post later that day. “Thanks to swift action and coordination with our partners, a violent plot tied to international terrorism was disrupted. This is what defending the homeland looks like — vigilance saves lives.”
Law enforcement initially detained at least five suspects, two of whom were released after being questioned. The other three remain in custody.
The suspects were apprehended in Dearborn, a city with the highest concentration of Arab Americans in the United States, and nearby Inkster.
The FBI has revealed few details of the foiled terror attack since Friday, but according to federal authorities, it was expected to take place over the holiday weekend.
On Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the criminal complaint reveals the extent of the “major ISIS-linked terror plot.”
“According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear, and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil,” Bondi said in a statement. “Thanks to the extraordinary diligence of our US Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr., the FBI and state and local law enforcement officers, this plot was stopped before innocent lives were lost. Our American heroes prevented a terror attack.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was among those who thanked the FBI and Michigan State Police for their swift action to thwart the alleged terror plot.
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the news, boasting that his administration is “catching people before they ever start.”
Meanwhile, one of the defense lawyers representing the suspects in the case argued there was no threat planned over Halloween weekend in Michigan. He doubled down on their innocence, insisting they were “gamers” and recreational gun enthusiasts who merely made exaggerated comments on social media.
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“These kids are gamers, gamers are weird in the way they talk to each other,” defense attorney Amir Makled, whose 20-year-old client was arrested, told the Detroit Free Press. “There is nothing here.”
The two defendants who were charged are scheduled to appear in federal court at 1 p.m. Monday. If convicted, they could face up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
