US federal authorities have announced the disruption of a significant domestic terrorism plot, charging four individuals with conspiracy to bomb multiple targets in California, including immigration enforcement agents and major logistics centers.
The Alleged Plot and Charges
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on Monday that the planned attacks, orchestrated by a group calling itself the 'Turtle Island Liberation Front – LA Chapter,' were foiled by law enforcement. The group is described in court documents as a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-capitalist, and anti-government movement.
The four defendants—Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41—face criminal charges of conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
According to the sworn statement, Carroll presented an eight-page handwritten plan titled 'Operation Midnight Sun' to a confidential source in November 2025. The plot allegedly involved planting explosive devices at five locations at midnight on New Year's Eve, specifically targeting two U.S. companies described as 'Amazon-type logistics centers' in the Los Angeles area.
From Planning to Arrest in the Desert
The complaint details how Carroll and Page later recruited Gaffield and Lai. The group's activities escalated to acquiring bomb-making materials and traveling to a remote location in the Mojave Desert on December 12, 2025, to construct and test explosive devices.
FBI agents intervened before the group could assemble a functional explosive device, leading to the arrest of all four defendants on that same day, December 12. Surveillance footage shown by officials depicted individuals handling precursor chemicals and other bomb-making materials in the desert.
Beyond the New Year's Eve plan, the group also discussed using pipe bombs to target U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and their vehicles in January or February 2026. Carroll was allegedly quoted in the complaint saying, 'That would take some of them out and scare the rest of them.'
Investigation and Ongoing Proceedings
The defendants were reportedly part of a Signal group chat named 'Order of the Black Lotus,' which one member described as 'radical.' The social media presence of the 'Turtle Island Liberation Front' states its devotion to 'Liberation through decolonization and tribal sovereignty.'
Bill Essayli, the head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles, indicated that more charges are expected in the coming weeks as investigators continue to review evidence. This case follows a recent memo from Attorney General Bondi directing law enforcement to increase investigations into leftist-leaning extremist groups.
The swift action by the FBI has potentially averted a serious loss of life and property damage, highlighting ongoing concerns about domestic extremism in the United States.
