Federal authorities say they thwarted a credible terrorist plot just days before New Year’s Eve, arresting four alleged members of a radical pro-Palestinian extremist group accused of planning coordinated bombing attacks across Los Angeles.

The FBI confirmed that the suspects are affiliated with what they described as a radical offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, or TILF, an extremist movement driven by pro-Palestinian, anti-law-enforcement, and anti-government ideology. Investigators say the group was preparing to carry out synchronized attacks using improvised explosive devices at five separate locations throughout Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve.

According to federal authorities, the four suspects were arrested over the weekend in Lucerne Valley, a remote desert community in San Bernardino County, where they were allegedly testing explosive devices ahead of the planned attacks. Each has been charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, serious federal offenses that carry lengthy prison sentences.

The FBI described the threat as “credible and imminent.”

Federal officials say that a fifth individual believed to be linked to the same extremist network was arrested in New Orleans. That suspect is accused of planning a separate attack and is now in federal custody.

The Turtle Island Liberation Front publicly promotes a revolutionary ideology that frames the United States as an “illegal American empire.” An Instagram account associated with TILF states that the group’s founding chapter is based in Los Angeles and calls for the liberation of what it describes as “Turtle Island,” an Indigenous term sometimes used to refer to North America.

“Free Palestine. Free Hawaii. Free Puerto Rico,” the account declares. “Freeing the world from American imperialism is the only way to a safe and peaceful future.”

Federal officials say the rhetoric is not merely symbolic. Investigators believe it served as ideological justification for violent action, including the alleged plan to use explosives against civilian and public targets during one of the busiest nights of the year.

Authorities have not publicly identified the intended targets, citing the ongoing investigation and security concerns. Law enforcement officials emphasized that the arrests likely prevented mass casualties.

The investigation remains active, and federal authorities have not ruled out additional arrests.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)