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Law enforcement officials announced on Monday that they had successfully thwarted a detailed scheme to explode bombs at numerous sites belonging to two corporate firms on New Year's Eve in the southern part of the state. This action came after the apprehension of individuals associated with an militant faction espousing anti-system and anti-government beliefs.

Suspects Taken Into Custody During Isolated Rehearsal

A quartet of people were detained last Friday in the Mojave Desert situated east of Los Angeles at the time they were reportedly running through their planned strike. Officials presented from above surveillance images to the media, which showed the suspects moving a large dark object to a surface. Authorities noted that the arrests took place before the group could put together a working IED.

Identities of the Those Charged Made Public

Based on the public criminal complaint, the four individuals listed are a 30-year-old named Audrey Illeene Carroll; Zachary Aaron Page, 32 years old; 24-year-old Dante Gaffield; and Lai, 41. Each of them are understood to be from the greater Los Angeles region.

Alleged Motive and Connections

While officials did not clearly outline a rationale, they said the individuals are adherents of a offshoot dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front. The group allegedly advocates for "laborers to rise up and resist against capitalism," as per the legal filing.

They face comprise conspiracy and owning a bomb. Officials stated that additional accusations are anticipated in the next few weeks.

Details of the Supposed "Operation Midnight Sun"

Prosecutors stated that one of the accused had drafted a detailed scheme last month to attack five or more commercial sites across Southern California on New Year's Eve. The locations were characterized as "Amazon-type" distribution hubs.

"The plan was explicit," a prosecutor remarked. "It laid out step-by-step instructions to construct explosive devices … and named several objectives across the county of Orange and Los Angeles."

As per the probe and legal filings, the plot involved positioning bags packed with intricate IEDs that were scheduled to be detonated all at once at midnight on New Year's Eve at five places. New Year's Eve was identified as an ideal time since the scheme noted "celebratory explosions will be going off at this time so detonations will be more difficult to be noticed."

An eight-page manually written blueprint, called "OPERATION MIDNIGHT SUN," noted that more sites could be incorporated. The facilities were categorized as premises and operations run by two separate firms tied to business involving national and international trade.

Additional Plans and Materials Found

The investigation also indicated that two people in the group had planned subsequent attacks targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and cars with explosives in 2026. One suspect allegedly noted that such attacks "would take some of them out and intimidate the rest of them."

The plotting were reportedly talked over both at an face-to-face meeting in Los Angeles and through an secure digital platform.

Images included in the court documents show a desert campsite with what investigators identified as IED-construction materials scattered on portable tables.

Official documents notes that the individuals "carried explosive materials to the campsite, such as various sizes of PVC pipes, identified as a chemical compound, charcoal, powdered charcoal, powdered sulfur, and material to be used as igniters, along with other items."

The scheme also included guidance on how to build the explosives and how to avoid leaving forensic clues that could be traced back to the individuals. The suspects had recently purchased chemical ingredients and other items, including acquisitions from online retailers.

Apprehension and Follow-up

Federal agents took action last week as the group were running through the attack in the isolated region near a California town. "They possessed all the components they were necessary to build an working explosive device at that site," the attorney stated.

As part of executed raids, investigators reportedly found flyers for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at one individual's dwelling that called for "Down with America", and "Death to ICE". At another individual's apartment, police located a version of the elaborate bomb plan.

Those arrested were arrested without a struggle. They were due to appear in court in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.