Federal prosecutors have charged members of a far-left extremist group with plotting to carry out mass-casualty attacks in and around Los Angeles, alleging the suspects embraced explicit calls for violence against the United States, law enforcement, and civilians.

A federal grand jury indicted four members of the so-called Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF) on terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, providing material support to terrorists, and possession of unregistered firearms. Prosecutors say the group planned coordinated bombings designed to “completely pulverize” technology companies and logistics firms, followed by armed ambushes on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Two defendants — Zachary Aaron Page, 32, and Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, who uses the alias “Black Moon” — were each charged with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. The other defendants, Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, and Tina Lai, 41, are charged with related terrorism offenses. All four are being held without bond. A fifth suspect, Micah James Legnon, a 29-year-old Marine veteran, was arrested in Louisiana in connection with the alleged plot.

According to prosecutors, TILF is an anti-capitalist, anti-government group whose members organized a more radical faction that communicated through an encrypted chat called “Order of the Black Lotus.” Inside those chats, investigators say, defendants openly endorsed violence and celebrated extremist causes, including explicit calls for Israel’s destruction and praise for Hamas.

Court filings detail messages in which Page allegedly wrote, “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-colonialism.” Carroll responded, “Death to them all, burn it all down,” adding burning heart emojis. In other messages, Carroll allegedly declared, “I identify as a terrorist,” and referred to herself as “a Hamas fangirl,” according to the indictment.

In early December, the group allegedly began acquiring bomb-making components — including potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, pipes, and bottles intended for Molotov cocktails — with plans to assemble and test explosives in the Mojave Desert. On December 12, all four defendants allegedly traveled to the desert with the materials to conduct test detonations.

During the drive, Carroll allegedly told Lai, “What we’re doing will be considered a terrorist act,” according to the indictment.

Authorities say the group intended to escalate after New Year’s Eve bombings by targeting ICE agents and vehicles with pipe bombs and firearms. In one message cited by prosecutors, Page allegedly laid out the plan bluntly: “We shoot first, we ask questions later. That’s the policy,” adding that the goal was to “take some of them out and scare the rest of them.”

Investigators also uncovered a handwritten, eight-page manifesto authored by Carroll titled “Operation Midnight Sun,” which she allegedly wrote to avoid creating digital evidence. In the document and related communications, Carroll allegedly glorified mass violence and compared the planned attack to high-profile acts of political terror.

The plot was disrupted after a confidential source alerted the FBI to the group’s plans to test bombs in the desert. Federal authorities deployed an undercover agent to infiltrate the group, and members of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team arrested the suspects before any explosives were detonated, prosecutors said.

If convicted, the defendants face decades in federal prison.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)