Federal authorities just dropped a bombshell. Two men in the Detroit area have been formally charged with serious terrorism crimes. This follows a high-stakes investigation and arrests made last week.
The planned target? LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb.
Court documents, a lengthy 72-page complaint, allege the men were planning a Halloween-inspired attack. They were reportedly motivated by Islamic State extremism.
“Our American heroes prevented a terror attack,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi declared on X. It was a strong, immediate statement.
The FBI had announced arrests on Friday. But details were completely held back. Agents had been busy, sweeping a home in Dearborn and a storage unit in Inkster. They seized a cache of weapons, officials confirmed.
The two charged men are Momed Ali and Majed Mahmoud.
Investigators say the two, plus other co-conspirators, were focused on ISIS ideology. A minor was also allegedly part of their discussions.
In their communications, the men repeatedly used the word “pumpkins.” The FBI believes this was their secret reference to the planned Halloween attack.
Ali and Mahmoud now face charges of receiving and transferring guns and ammunition for terrorism.
They were set for their initial court appearance on Monday afternoon.
Defense lawyers are already pushing back. William Swor, Mahmoud’s attorney, declined to comment. However, Ali’s lawyer, Amir Makled, had waved off the allegations over the weekend. He called them the result of “hysteria” and “fearmongering.”
The community is left to process the near-miss. Security remains high across the region.
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