The FBI arrested several suspects who were allegedly planning a foiled “possible terrorist attack” in Michigan over the Halloween weekend, Director Kash Patel said Friday.
“This morning, the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested several individuals in Michigan who were allegedly planning a violent attack over Halloween weekend,” Patel wrote in a statement on X.
Four senior law enforcement officials familiar with the case said the FBI in Detroit today detained a group of youths who were planning some type of attack with a possible reference to Halloween.
Those officials say the group has a link to some form of foreign extremism, but they did not say whether it was ISIS, Al Qaeda or some other similar ideology. Officials emphasized that there is no current threat to the public,
An official says some of the arrests occurred in Dearborn and Inkster, Michigan.
Authorities were able to monitor the group in the metro Detroit area over at least the last few days to make sure no actual attacks occurred, officials said.
A federal law enforcement source told NBC News that the FBI arrests took place in Dearborn and Inkster, cities outside Detroit.
Dearborn police confirmed in a Facebook post that the FBI conducted an operation there Friday morning.
“The Dearborn Police Department has been informed that the FBI conducted operations in the city of Dearborn this morning,” police said, before adding that there was no threat to the public.
The case involves federal charges and arrests, but court documents are sealed as of Friday morning.
Rebecca Shabad contributed.
