Federal authorities in the United States have revealed they disrupted a planned attack in New Orleans, arresting a former US marine who was allegedly en route to the city with an arsenal of weapons.
Arrest Halts Alleged Attack Plan
According to court documents obtained by the Associated Press, Micah James Legnon, 28, was taken into custody on 12 December while driving towards New Orleans. Officials stated that inside his vehicle they discovered an assault rifle, a pistol, a gas canister, and body armour.
The FBI had been conducting surveillance on Legnon due to suspected ties to an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government faction. This monitoring intensified after Legnon, using the alias "Kateri The Witch", posted in a group chat about the need to "recreate" the infamous 1993 Waco siege in New Orleans. This message was sent a day after hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived in south-east Louisiana for an operation dubbed "Catahoula Crunch".
Links to Wider Extremist Network
Legnon is suspected of being associated with the Turtle Island Liberation Front, described by federal authorities as a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government group. The arrest is connected to a broader investigation that saw four other members of the same group arrested in California's Mojave desert on Friday.
Those individuals were allegedly rehearsing a foiled plot to detonate bombs across southern California on New Year's Eve. A criminal complaint indicates two members had also discussed plans to attack ICE agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026.
Following Legnon's arrest, a search of his apartment in New Iberia, Louisiana, uncovered sniper and SWAT training manuals, additional assault rifles, and rounds of ammunition.
Eerie Echoes of Past Violence
Some aspects of the thwarted California plot bear a disturbing resemblance to the deadly truck attack that occurred on New Year's Day 2025 in New Orleans' French Quarter. In that incident, Shamsud-Din Jabbar killed 14 people by driving into crowds; he had also placed undetonated bombs in the area and was inspired by the Islamic State group.
Legnon has been charged with threats in interstate commerce. Court documents did not list a defence attorney, and the offices of the public defender and US attorney had not immediately provided information on legal representation at the time of reporting.
