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FBI Charges Two Michigan Men in Alleged ISIS-Inspired Halloween Plot After Dearborn Raids

Defense lawyers argue officials overstated the case, claiming online chatter with lawful gun use does not demonstrate an organized attack.

Overview

  • An unsealed criminal complaint names Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud of Dearborn, alleging a monthslong plan tied to an ISIS-inspired mass shooting codenamed "pumpkin."
  • Prosecutors say the men discussed timing around Halloween in encrypted chats, trained at gun ranges, and scouted bars in Ferndale despite being under 21.
  • Agents seized three AR-15-style rifles, two shotguns, four pistols, tactical vests, GoPro cameras, and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition from homes and a storage unit.
  • The pair are charged with receiving, transferring, and attempting to receive and transfer firearms while knowing or having reason to believe they would be used to commit terrorism.
  • Five males ages roughly 16 to 20 were initially detained in Dearborn and Inkster; some were later released as attorneys contest any evidence of a mass-casualty plot and the investigation continues.