FBI Foils Terrorist Plot Involving New Jersey Man

Federal investigators reported that a 21-year-old from New Jersey became motivated by online hate to create violent fantasies targeting Jews, envisioning scenarios that involved using a sword. This was part of a larger terrorist plot linked to ISIS that the FBI managed to dismantle ahead of Halloween.

Milo Sedarat is among six individuals indicted across three states after their scheme for a mass shooting in Michigan was uncovered. Prosecutors noted that Sedarat intended to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State.

In a federal criminal complaint, Sedarat allegedly confessed to a friend that he was, “America’s biggest anti-Semite.” Following significant anti-Israel protests on university campuses in April related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, he reportedly told the same friend: “Now everyone hates Jews… I hope a second holocaust happens to them.”

Additionally, he expressed a desire to kill his mother’s Jewish friend, indicating a concerning level of animosity.

Manchester Synagogue Attack Links to Islamic State

It was reported that Sedarat wrote to a friend, using shorthand to convey his frustration that his mother’s Jewish acquaintances were, in his view, influencing her to adopt Zionist beliefs. He said, “I want to kill her friend… I’ll stab her with a sword.”

In one instance, after a friend suggested moderation in discussing Israel, Sedarat still made disturbing comments about wanting to harm people during protests. He expressed intentions to drive into a protest, stating, “I’m going to run over about 10 Jews.” To which his friend dismissed the notion as a joke.

Images and Evidence Collected

Investigators found numerous videos seemingly depicting Sedarat in a mask while brandishing swords. In one of his messages, he fantasized about executing groups of Jewish men and enslaving their families. He conveyed that he would risk his life for these intentions, believing he could face consequences if he were to kill a rabbi in New York.

Federal agents also accessed a cloud storage account belonging to Sedarat, discovering videos featuring him at a shooting range. He even mentioned plans to blow up a company’s headquarters in California while equipped with explosives.

On Tuesday, SWAT teams equipped with tactical gear arrested Sedarat at his father’s home in Montclair, New Jersey.

No Comments from Family

During his first court appearance on Wednesday, Sedarat chose not to speak. His father, an Iranian-American poet and English professor, refrained from offering any comments when approached for statements.