Federal authorities say they disrupted a credible terrorist threat over the weekend, arresting four suspects who allegedly planned coordinated New Year’s Eve bombings in Southern California.
On Monday, December 15, 2025, officials said the defendants self-identified with an offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, described by investigators as a far-left, pro-Palestinian, anti-government group.
The Justice Department and FBI outlined the case at a Los Angeles briefing and in a federal criminal complaint unsealed in the Central District of California.
What authorities say was planned
According to the complaint, the group drafted a written plan to place improvised explosive devices in backpacks at five locations in the Los Angeles region, with detonation timed for midnight on New Year’s Eve. Prosecutors said the intended targets were logistics facilities used by large companies, and the purpose of simultaneous blasts was to strain first responders and create confusion.
Investigators said planning discussions occurred in person and on an encrypted chat that participants called “Order of the Black Lotus.” The complaint describes pre-operational surveillance, sharing of bomb-making instructions, and a division of roles for acquiring chemicals, constructing devices, and transporting the explosives on December 31.
Who was arrested and the charges
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli identified the defendants as Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. Each was charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, with additional counts possible as lab testing and digital forensics proceed. Initial court appearances were scheduled for Monday in Los Angeles.
Officials did not immediately announce defense counsel for the defendants. Prosecutors emphasized that the charges are allegations and that the investigation remains active, including potential grand jury action once additional evidence is analyzed.
Where the arrests happened and what was seized
Agents arrested the four on Friday, December 12, 2025, at a campsite in the Mojave Desert east of Los Angeles, where the group allegedly planned to test components. The complaint says agents recovered PVC pipes, potassium nitrate, charcoal, sulfur powder, and materials intended for fuses. Surveillance imagery showed suspects unloading supplies onto a table shortly before the arrests.
Authorities said agents intervened before a functional device was completed. Search warrants at additional locations yielded notebooks, digital media, and literature that investigators say is tied to the group’s ideology. Items were sent to federal laboratories for testing to confirm composition and potential explosive yield.
Alleged motive and additional targets
Court filings describe the offshoot organization as motivated by opposition to U.S. policy, law enforcement, and large corporations. In addition to the New Year’s Eve plan, investigators said the group discussed follow-on attacks in early 2026, including targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel and vehicles. Officials did not release operational details, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
Authorities have not publicly identified specific businesses listed in the plan. Prosecutors said they notified potential targets and coordinated with local agencies to increase security posture through the holiday period as a precaution.
A fifth arrest tied to the same network
The FBI said a fifth individual believed to be connected to the same extremist network was arrested in Louisiana. Officials in New Orleans reported the person was taken into custody in New Iberia in a related investigation. That arrest involved a separate alleged plot and was not included in the California complaint, but authorities said the cases are being coordinated across field offices.
No additional suspects were being sought publicly as of Monday afternoon. Officials said they would release more information about the Louisiana case after initial appearances and charging documents are filed.
How the plot was uncovered
Prosecutors said the investigation drew on human sources, physical surveillance, and review of electronic communications. The complaint references a written attack plan and exchanges in the encrypted chat that laid out materials lists, device construction steps, and target selection criteria. According to officials, the group also discussed counter-surveillance, cash purchases, and minimizing digital footprints during procurement.
Officials said agents moved in when they believed test detonations were imminent in the desert. The FBI’s bomb technicians and evidence response teams processed the campsite and multiple residences through the weekend, collecting components for laboratory analysis and building a timeline of the suspects’ activities since the initial planning meetings.
