Overview
- Two U.S. citizens, Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, were arrested on October 31 after FBI raids in the Detroit suburbs tied to an alleged plan to strike Ferndale clubs and bars.
- Court filings describe an ISIS-inspired conspiracy that referenced a Halloween timeline and potential nightclub targets, including venues serving LGBTQ+ patrons.
- Agents seized three AR-15-style rifles, two shotguns, four pistols and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition, and the complaint says rifle mechanisms were altered to increase rate of fire.
- The probe began when customs flagged a returning traveler for ISIS-related searches and photos, leading to evidence of encrypted communications, shooting-range practice and a group call discussing doing “the same as in France.”
- Federal officials credited the FBI with disrupting the plot, and the complaint alleges the suspects acquired firearms and ammunition as part of planning a federal terrorism offense while the broader investigation remains active.