FBI Disrupts ISIS-Linked Network with Arrests Across Multiple States
Federal prosecutors have revealed that the FBI has dismantled an ISIS-related network operating from Michigan to New Jersey, indicting several young men involved in a plot to carry out a mass shooting on Halloween and make attempts to join the Islamic State overseas.
This week, Thomas Jimenez Guzel, 19, from Montclair, New Jersey, and Saeed Milley, 19, from Kent, Washington, were arrested in connection with a case in New Jersey that relates to other suspects already indicted in Michigan.
The Justice Department characterized the new charges as part of a “large-scale federal investigation” into extremists who communicated using encrypted messages. U.S. Attorney Alina Haba stated that the defendants in New Jersey were “dedicated to ISIS” and maintained constant contact with cells in Michigan.
“Whenever terrorism and hatred threaten our communities, we will act swiftly and decisively,” Haba stated on Friday, emphasizing the genuine threat that terrorism poses when it endangers American citizens. “Our response will always be quick, focused, and united.”
The complaint, filed on November 5, details that Ayoub Asamir Nasser from eastern Michigan and his brothers, Mohammed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, have been charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS. Prosecutors indicated that the trio had stockpiled firearms and ammunition, specifically referring to their plan as “Pumpkin,” the code for the Halloween attack. Another suspect, Milo Sedarat, 21, from New Jersey, has also been charged.
These operatives reportedly trained at a shooting range near Detroit, shared ISIS propaganda, and discussed targeting LGBTQ bars and Jewish centers in Ferndale. After an FBI raid on Halloween, tactical vests, GoPro cameras, and firearm magazines were seized from a residence and a U-Haul storage unit.
In Newark, Jimenez Guzel and Milley are also facing charges for conspiring to support a foreign terrorist organization, as reported. Guzel was arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday, allegedly trying to board a flight to Turkey en route to Syria, and is facing an additional charge of attempted flight.
According to reports, travel plans of the suspects intensified after the October 31 arrests of several individuals in Michigan who were “in contact” with the New Jersey suspects. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. from Detroit mentioned, “We will not stop. We will follow where the tentacles lead.”
FBI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan remarked that her team will persist in investigating and thwarting any plans that could harm the homeland. Haba also commended the cooperation between the Michigan and New Jersey offices, calling it an exemplary model for countering extremist threats.
The charges indicate that the suspects communicated in encrypted WhatsApp chats labelled “Muslimeen,” where they supposedly shared materials related to ISIS, organized firearms training, and discussed the timeline for the “Pumpkin” plot. Authorities believe these groups are interconnected, with some planning domestic attacks while others aim to join ISIS abroad.
The Michigan suspect remains in custody, while Jimenez Guzel and Milley appeared in court in Newark and Seattle, respectively. All charges related to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization, as well as juvenile cases, might be sealed.
A criminal complaint signifies allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
