Accused New Year's Eve bomb plotters hit with terrorism charges

LOS ANGELES — A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted four people on terrorism charges in connection with a New Year’s Eve bomb plot in Los Angeles.

Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, called “Asiginaak” and “Black Moon,” of South Los Angeles; Zachary Aaron Page, 32, “AK,” “Ash Kerrigan” and “Cthulu’s Daughter,” of Torrance; Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles; and Tina Lai, 41, “Kickwhere,” of Glendale, all face one count each of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and one count of possession of unregistered firearms, federal prosecutors said in a statement.

Additionally, Carroll and Page each face one count each of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.

Carroll and Page face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted. Gaffield and Lai could spend up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors have accused the group of membership in the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which they call far-left, anti-capitalist and anti-government. The group is accused of planning to set off bombs on New Year’s Eve.

Arrested Dec. 12, the group is scheduled for arraignment next month. All four remained held Tuesday without bond.

“The charges a federal grand jury returned today reflect the seriousness of the conduct: a planned terrorist attack on American soil on New Year’s Eve,” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement. “If convicted, this group of self-professed left-wing radicals will face decades in federal prison. We will continue to investigate and prosecute any and all terror groups and bring them to justice.”

Prosecutors say that Carroll wrote an eight-page document called “Operation Midnight Sun” in November. It had information on a bombing plot that would strike technology and logistics companies in Southern California on New Year’s Eve. The document had details about the targets, bomb-making instructions as well as where to find materials to make bombs, and advice on how to avoid leaving evidence.

Carroll then recruited the other three members of the group, according to prosecutors.

On Nov. 29, Page used an encrypted messaging app to contact coconspirators, including Carroll and Gaffield, saying: “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic],” prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, Carroll replied: “Death to them all, burn it all down [three emojis of a burning heart].”

The group gained bomb-making materials early this month, planning on building and testing them in the Mojave Desert on Dec. 12. Carroll and Page also had targets after New Year’s Eve — federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, prosecutors said.

On Dec. 12, the group traveled to the desert. At one point Carroll said the plot would be considered a terrorist act, an agent said in a criminal complaint.

Law enforcement arrested the group when they determined bomb making would soon occur. Items found at the scene included potassium nitrate and sulfur powder, the agent said.

“My office and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will remain vigilant on the dangers presented by extremist groups that espouse hateful, anti-American violent ambitions,” Essayli said in a Tuesday X post.