By JOSH FUNK
A Michigan defense lawyer is disputing FBI allegations that his 20-year-old client and four other young suspects were planning to carry out a terror attack on Halloween weekend.
Authorities with the FBI and in Michigan have offered few details about the case, however as he announced the arrests on Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel said more information would be released. Spokespersons for the state and national FBI and the U.S. Attorney in Detroit did not immediately respond to messages Saturday.
The investigation involved discussion in an online chat room involving at least some of the suspects who were taken into custody, according to two people briefed on the investigation who could not publicly discuss details. They spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The group allegedly discussed carrying out an attack around Halloween, referring to “pumpkin day,” according to one of the people. The other person briefed on the investigation confirmed that there had been a “pumpkin” reference.
However, lawyer Amir Makled, who represents a man from the suburb of Dearborn who was being detained Saturday, told The Detroit News that he doesn’t believe his client or the four other people who were questioned by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force should be charged. The all-male group of U.S. citizens ranges in age from 16-20, Makled said.
“This is not a terrorist cell,” Makled told The News. “There was never any planned mass-casualty event or terrorism plot of any kind that I’m aware of. They might have been on some websites or online chat groups that they shouldn’t have been, but nothing that is illegal.”
Makled did not immediately respond to messages from the AP seeking comment on Saturday.
Authorities said Friday that they don’t believe there is any threat to the public after the arrests were made. Patel said Friday in a post on X that “the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend.”
Patel credited the vigilance of the FBI, along with help from local authorities, with thwarting the plot.
Makled said he believes those comments may have been premature.
“Having a curiosity about global events is not illegal,” he said. “Being in those chat rooms is not illegal. If there is a threat, if they became radicalized, or if an (FBI) agent is trying to antagonize or get them to agree to do something that is inappropriate or illegal, then you cross a threshold. None of that happened in this situation.”
Since the 9/11 terror attacks, the FBI has foiled several alleged attacks through sting operations in which agents posed as terror supporters, supplying advice and equipment.
Investigators say they believe the Halloween plot was inspired by Islamic State group extremism. It wasn’t immediately clear if the group had the means to carry out an attack, but the reference to Halloween prompted the FBI to make arrests Friday, one of the people familiar with the investigation told the AP.
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Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.