US Attorney General Pam Bondi Says FBI Stopped Alleged ISIS-Inspired Halloween Attack

Last Updated:November 04, 2025, 00:33 IST

Pam Bondi announced the arrest of Mohamed Ali and Majed Mahmoud in Michigan for plotting an ISIS-inspired Halloween attack targeting LGBTQ+ events.

FBI Director Kash Patel had earlier said that the agency had thwarted a "potential terrorist attack" planned in the northern state of Michigan over Halloween weekend. Patel said the FBI arrested multiple subjects. (IMAGE: AFP)

US Attorney General Pam Bondi on Monday announced that federal authorities had uncovered and halted an ISIS-inspired terror plot in Michigan, following the arrests of two US citizens allegedly planning an attack on or around Halloween.

Bondi praised the work of federal, state, and local law enforcement for stopping the plot before any innocent lives were harmed, saying, “Our American heroes prevented a terror attack."

According to court filings and a criminal complaint unsealed Monday, the suspects, identified as Mohamed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, allegedly possessed multiple AR-15 rifles, a shotgun, tactical gear, a “forced reset trigger" designed to increase a semiautomatic weapon’s firing rate and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition.

The men, along with three co-conspirators, allegedly practiced shooting at firing ranges and conducted surveillance at potential target locations, including areas associated with LGBTQ+ events in Ferndale, Michigan.

Court documents indicate that the suspects referred to their plans as “pumpkin" or “pumpkin day," suggesting intent to carry out the attack around Halloween.

Conversations cited in the complaint show discussions of dates, preparation and firearm training throughout October 2025, including references to past ISIS-linked attacks in Paris in 2015 and the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.

ISIS, or the Islamic State, emerged from the remnants of Al-Qaeda in Iraq in the early 2010s and gained global notoriety for brutal attacks in the Middle East and beyond. The group has inspired or directed attacks worldwide, often using online propaganda and encrypted platforms to recruit and radicalize supporters. American authorities have earlier said they have remained vigilant against ISIS-linked plots domestically.

Investigators said video footage, phone records and social media activity placed the suspects at storage facilities in Inkster, Michigan, where they stored weapons and tactical equipment. The complaint also alleges that Ali communicated with an ISIS-affiliated individual in Syria and that the men shared online content glorifying terrorist attacks, suicide bombings, and martyrdom.

Federal authorities seized weapons, ammunition, and tactical gear from the suspects’ homes and storage units. The complaint alleges that Ali and Mahmoud received and attempted to transfer firearms and ammunition, knowing they could be used to commit acts of terrorism, in violation of US federal law, effectively stopping a potential attack before it could be carried out.

News world US Attorney General Pam Bondi Says FBI Stopped Alleged ISIS-Inspired Halloween Attack

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