Two affluent student-athletes from Montclair, New Jersey, are facing charges for allegedly joining a terrorist organization inspired by ISIS. One of them is reportedly linked to a plot reminiscent of the Boston bombing, according to federal officials who made the announcement on Wednesday.
Thomas Kern Jimenez Guzel and Milo Sedarat, both 19, were arrested on Tuesday. They resided in a Victorian home valued at over $1 million in a suburb near New York City.
These two young men, who came from privileged backgrounds, are accused of turning towards ISIS.
Jimenez-Guzel’s mother, Meral, leads the United Nations’ Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, while Sedarat’s father, Roger, is a noted Iranian-American poet and a professor at Queen’s University in New York City.
Meral’s LinkedIn indicates over a decade of work in women’s empowerment initiatives, and she has a background in finance.
Roger Sedarat, specializing in poetry and literary translation, is recognized for his contributions to the poetic traditions of Iran, his father’s homeland.
Attempts to reach either parent for comments on Wednesday were unsuccessful.
Both suspects attended Montclair High School, noted for its prestigious academic reputation. Jimenez Guzel was a significant presence on the football field at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, while Sedarat participated in wrestling.
Montclair is known as a thriving suburb beyond Newark, home to prominent figures like New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill.
Authorities reported Sedarat was arrested at his father’s three-story home in Montclair, which is valued at $1.2 million. He faces charges for making threats across state lines.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alina Haba shared that the complaint indicates a series of anti-Semitic messages advocating violence, along with evidence of preparations for an attack that included weapons and tactical gear.
Meanwhile, Jimenez Guzel was detained in the food court of Newark Liberty International Airport, allegedly waiting for a flight intended to bring him to Turkey before heading to Syria for ISIS training.
Reports say he had advanced his travel plans after hearing about a raid in Detroit targeting terrorist suspects.
Federal authorities discovered numerous messages on his phone related to ISIS, including statements about executing attacks similar to the Boston bombings.
One message included a photo of Jimenez Guzel posing in front of an ISIS flag holding a knife.
He is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Sedarat appeared in federal court shackled and wearing a gray hoodie. He briefly interacted with Judge Andre Espinosa, who ordered that he remains in Essex County Jail.
Jimenez-Guzel, towering over officers as he entered the courtroom, remained quiet except to affirm his understanding of the charges and potential penalties, which could reach 20 years in prison along with financial fines.
Prosecutors proposed a no-contact order to prevent communication between the accused and any co-conspirators, as well as between the two suspects themselves, which the judge approved.
Neighbors expressed shock over the arrests, with one mentioning the commotion caused by nearly 20 police vehicles during Sedarat’s arrest.
The local community is grappling with the revelations, leaving flowers and condolences at the families’ homes, struggling to reconcile the image of the suspects with such serious allegations.
“They’re good kids,” a neighbor commented anonymously, adding that the Sedarat family was generally regarded as “good neighbors.”
Reports indicate the two were part of a chat group where members allegedly discussed plans for a Halloween attack, dubbed “Pumpkin.” Additionally, the group shared materials on past mass shootings and terrorist incidents.
These arrests come in the wake of a related case in Michigan, where two men were charged over an alleged ISIS-connected plot targeting gay bars in Detroit.
Authorities have linked one of the suspects, Ayoub Nasser, to acquiring weapons for the planned attack, while another individual named Muhammad Ali was identified as a main conspirator.
Law enforcement executed a search of Ali’s home as they believed the plot was imminent, where they discovered various firearms and ammunition, plus evidence of his allegiance to ISIS.
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. emphasized a commitment to rooting out potential terrorists and those entwined in such plots, assuring the community of ongoing vigilance against extremist threats.
