The FBI arrested several suspects on Friday who were allegedly plotting a terrorist attack in Michigan over the Halloween weekend, Director Kash Patel said.
“This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend,” Patel wrote in a statement on X.
Federal agents took five people from Dearborn and Inkster, Michigan, into custody for an alleged plot to conduct an attack in the U.S. that has a connection to ISIS extremism, according to three senior law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation.
The five are naturalized citizens from a Middle Eastern country who had access to firearms and firearm training, two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation say.
Three senior law enforcement officials say that no specific targets have been identified so far in the course of the investigation, which remains ongoing.
The officials said the group had discussed carrying out some sort of terror attack around Halloween — or what they allegedly referred to as “pumpkin day.” The officials said that was why the FBI made the arrests Friday, even though it was not immediately clear if the suspects had decided on a set time to try to move forward with any attack.
Two separate senior law enforcement officials say the group in Michigan had been tracked leading up to the arrests.
It was not immediately clear what, if any, specific targets had been identified.
Two officials said investigators are looking into whether the group was self-radicalized.
The names of the five individuals have not yet been made public as the court documents appear to still be sealed.
Officials stressed there is no current threat to the public.
Laraib Irfan said he lives two doors away from a home where loud bangs preceded the entrance of FBI agents on Friday.
"It was like a whole movie scene, but, you know, in reality it was scary," Irfan said.
He said he watched people he knew as "friendly neighbors, good neighbors" be removed from the residence. "They were just told to step outside of the home, and, you know, they had them in handcuffs," Irfan said.
It all had him wondering what they're accused of and whether law enforcement got it right, Irfan said.
"They're very friendly to us, very cool," he said. "Hopefully the FBI got the wrong house."
In a statement Friday afternoon, Patel said his agents' actions may have prevented a tragedy.
“Through swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold," he said. "The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack — and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a post on X that Patel briefed her “on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state" Friday morning. "As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders," she wrote.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said state authorities were "in consultation with the FBI" on the arrests.
Dearborn police confirmed in a Facebook post that the FBI carried out an operation there on Friday morning.
“The Dearborn Police Department has been made aware that the FBI conducted operations in the City of Dearborn earlier this morning,” police said, before adding that there was no threat to the public.
