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An operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) prevented what U.S. authorities describe as a large-scale attack in Southern California, just as millions of people were preparing to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Five individuals were arrested, accused of planning a series of explosive attacks that would have endangered civilians, federal agents, and entire communities.
According to information from the agency EFE, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that those arrested were part of a far-left group with pro-Palestinian, anti-government, and anti-capitalist positions, which was planning to carry out simultaneous attacks in various areas of the state, including Orange and Los Angeles counties.
According to Bondi, the Department of Justice and the FBI were able to dismantle the plot after an intense investigation, preventing what he described as a "massive and heinous" scheme.
The group, identified as Turtle Island Liberation Front, was scheduled to begin the attacks on the night of December 31, using backpacks filled with homemade explosives placed at various strategic locations.
The threat was not limited to civilian facilities. Court documents cited by EFE indicate that some of those involved also discussed plans to attack agents and vehicles of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the early months of next year, with the intent to cause deaths and instill fear among law enforcement.
Federal authorities identified four of those arrested in California, while a fifth suspect was detained in New Orleans, where, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, he was planning a violent attack that was independent but connected to the same extremist group.
The investigation also reveals that the accused conducted detonation tests in the Mojave Desert during the weekend prior to their arrest, a fact that underscores the level of preparation achieved by the group before being intercepted by the FBI.
Authorities stated that the detainees will face serious federal charges and reiterated their commitment to pursuing extremist groups that pose a threat to national security, against a backdrop of political tensions, protests, and an increasingly polarized social climate.
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