Another Arrest in Michigan Terror Case
A 19-year-old from Dearborn, Ayob Nasser, has been arrested in connection with a thwarted Halloween terror plot in Michigan, bringing the total number of arrests to five.
Nasser is the brother of one of the previously charged individuals, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. His arrest follows that of two New Jersey residents, Tomas Kaan Jimenez-Guzal and Milo Sedarat, both also 19 years old.
Jimenez-Guzal was apprehended at Newark Liberty International Airport while attempting to board a flight to Turkey. He had reportedly expedited his travel plans after FBI raids occurred last week.
The acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, Alina Habba, announced that both men from New Jersey were charged by federal criminal complaint on Tuesday. Jimenez-Guzal faces charges for conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization, while Sedarat is accused of transmitting threats across state lines.
This series of arrests follows earlier apprehensions of two Michigan men, Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, who were charged with receiving and transferring firearms and ammunition intended for terrorism. Notably, Ali is Nasser’s brother.
Nasser has also been charged with receiving and transferring firearms. The three Michigan suspects—Ali, Nasser, and Mahmoud—are additionally accused of conspiring to provide material support to a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization: the Islamic State group.
The complaint alleges that they purchased firearms and ammunition while practicing at gun ranges. They reportedly used encrypted online communications and social media platforms to disseminate extremist materials related to ISIS that encouraged attacks similar to their planned actions.
In mid-September, it is believed they scouted locations for potential attacks targeting LGBTQ clubs and an amusement park in Michigan. One co-conspirator’s search history included references to notorious attacks such as the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the 2016 shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando.
The latest potential attack was prevented early Friday when FBI agents executed search warrants at homes in Dearborn and a U-Haul storage unit rented by Ali in nearby Inkster. FBI Director Kash Patel stated on social media that swift action likely saved numerous lives.
