Three out of four individuals charged with conspiring to bomb multiple business sites in Southern California on New Year's Eve have entered not guilty pleas in a federal court.
Suspects Deny Terrorism Charges
Audrey Carroll, 30, and Zachary Page, 32, formally entered their pleas on Monday. Tina Lai, 41, submitted her plea several days prior. Lawyers representing the accused did not provide immediate commentary following emailed requests. The fourth defendant, Dante Anthony-Gaffield, 24, is scheduled to enter his plea on 20 January.
All suspects, residents of the Los Angeles region, were apprehended on 12 December in the Mojave Desert east of the city. According to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, they were detained while rehearsing their alleged plan. Authorities stated the arrests occurred before the group could assemble a working explosive device.
Details of the Alleged Plot
Prosecutors allege that Carroll devised a detailed scheme to attack five or more business locations described as "Amazon-type" logistical centres, owned by two companies across Southern California, on New Year's Eve. The specific targets have not been publicly named.
A federal grand jury has indicted all four on multiple counts, including providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and possession of unregistered firearms. Carroll and Page face an additional charge of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.
Links to Radical Faction
Officials describe the group as members of an offshoot of an anti-capitalist and anti-government organisation known as the Turtle Island Liberation Front. A criminal complaint states the group advocates for decolonisation, tribal sovereignty, and a working-class uprising against capitalism.
The indictment further alleges they belonged to a "radical" faction within this group, which communicated via a chat named "Order of the Black Lotus." The term "Turtle Island" is used by some Indigenous peoples to refer to North America, rooted in creation stories.
Court documents reveal that two members had also discussed future attacks targeting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and vehicles using pipe bombs. Photos from the case show the desert campsite where arrests were made, with what investigators identified as bomb-making materials scattered across plastic tables.
The trial for Carroll, Page, and Lai is set to begin on 17 February. A date for Anthony-Gaffield's trial will be established after he enters his plea. If convicted, Carroll and Page could face life sentences in federal prison, while Anthony-Gaffield and Lai could receive maximum terms of 25 years.
