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Federal agents stated on Monday that they had effectively disrupted a detailed scheme to detonate IEDs at several sites belonging to two American businesses on New Year's Eve in Southern California. The move followed the detainment of suspects part of an extremist offshoot promoting anti-corporate and anti-government ideologies.

Individuals Detained During Remote Rehearsal

The four individuals were arrested last Friday in the remote area situated east of Los Angeles while they were allegedly practicing their proposed attack. Prosecutors showed overhead reconnaissance images to reporters, that showed the individuals transporting a sizeable black object to a table. Law enforcement noted that the detainments were made prior to the individuals could put together a operational IED.

Identities of the Those Charged Made Public

According to the public legal filing, the four people identified are a 30-year-old named Audrey Illeene Carroll; Page, 32; 24-year-old Dante Gaffield; and Tina Lai, 41. The group are understood to be from the Los Angeles area.

Alleged Motivation and Group Affiliations

While prosecutors did not directly outline a rationale, they indicated the individuals are members of a offshoot dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front. The group according to documents advocates for "laborers to rise up and resist against capitalism," according to the court papers.

They face include conspiracy to commit a crime and owning a bomb. Officials noted that more charges are likely in the next few weeks.

Elements of the Reported "Midnight Sun Operation"

Prosecutors revealed that one of the suspects had created a meticulous scheme last month to attack multiple corporate facilities across Southern California on New Year's Eve. The intended sites were described as "Amazon-type" fulfillment warehouses.

"This scheme was specific," the attorney remarked. "It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs … and named several sites across Orange County and Los Angeles."

As per the case and legal filings, the plan called for placing bags filled with complex IEDs that were scheduled to be set off all at once at midnight on New Year's Eve at 5 sites. New Year's Eve was seen as an ideal time as the document stated "fireworks will be going off at this time so detonations will be harder to be detected."

An eight-page manually written blueprint, named "OPERATION MIDNIGHT SUN," stated that additional targets could be incorporated. The locations were described as premises and facilities run by two separate firms involved in operations related to commerce.

Future Plans and Evidence Seized

The investigation also revealed that two individuals in the group had talked about later operations focusing on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026. One accused reportedly commented that such attacks "would take some of them out and frighten the rest of them."

These plans were reportedly planned both at an physical meeting in Los Angeles and through an secure digital platform.

Images included in the legal filings reveal a desert campsite with what officials said were IED-construction materials scattered on plastic folding tables.

Official documents notes that the suspects "all brought bomb-making components to the campsite, such as assorted sizes of PVC pipes, suspected a chemical compound, charcoal, powdered charcoal, another chemical, and components to be used as igniters, along with other items."

The scheme also had directions on how to build the devices and how to prevent leaving traces that could be traced back to the faction. The individuals had not long ago purchased precursor chemicals and other items, via purchases from major websites.

Apprehension and Aftermath

Authorities moved in last week as the individuals were practicing the operation in the remote area near a desert community. "They had everything they required to make an working bomb at that location," an official commented.

In the course of carried out raids, officials reportedly located signs for the Turtle Island Liberation Front at one individual's dwelling that called for "Down with America", and "Eliminate ICE". At another suspect's home, police discovered a version of the detailed attack blueprint.

Those arrested were detained without incident. They were set to face a judge in Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.