The FBI says it prevented what could have been a deadly Halloween weekend in Michigan — a supposed ISIS-inspired “LGBTQ+ terror plot” aimed at queer bars in the Detroit area. But defense lawyers and community members are questioning whether the threat was real or the product of hysteria amplified by fear.
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Inside Operation “Pumpkin”
According to a federal complaint unsealed last week, two men — Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud — were charged with receiving and transferring firearms and ammunition to commit a federal crime of terrorism. Both are under 21, and investigators say a minor known as “Person 1” or “Athari” urged them to act quickly.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan later confirmed a third arrest, Ayob Nasser, the brother of one of the accused, bringing the total number of suspects to five — three adults and two juveniles.
NBC News also reported that two men from New Jersey, Tomas Kaan Jimenez-Guzal and Milo Sedarat, were arrested in connection with the same plot. Jimenez-Guzal, 19, was taken into custody at Newark Liberty International Airport and charged with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group, while Sedarat faces charges of transmitting threats in interstate commerce.
Officials said Jimenez-Guzal had expressed interest in training with ISIS and was planning to fly to Turkey to reach Syria before his arrest.
The FBI claims the suspects had been planning a coordinated assault on LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb known for its queer nightlife. Agents said they uncovered rifles, shotguns, tactical vests, GoPro cameras, and over 1,600 rounds of ammunition after executing search warrants at homes and a Dearborn storage unit.
FBI Director Kash Patel called the arrests “the result of months of tireless investigative work,” adding on X (formerly Twitter):
“The FBI stopped a massacre before it could happen… Two Michigan men planned an ISIS-inspired Halloween terror attack near Detroit — stockpiling weapons, scouting targets, and training at gun ranges.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the bureau’s actions, saying, “Our newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot… This plot was stopped before innocent lives were lost.”
But the story has taken an unexpected turn. According to a November 2 report from the Associated Press, Amir Makled, a Michigan defense lawyer representing one of the detained suspects from Dearborn, disputed the FBI’s characterization of the case.
“I don’t know where this hysteria and this fearmongering came from,” Makled said. “If these young men were on forums that they should not have been on or things of that nature, then we’ll have to wait and see. But I don’t believe that there’s anything illegal about any of the activity they were doing.”
Source: Tom Fisk via Canva.com
Makled described the suspects as “gamers” aged 16 to 20, insisting there was no terror event planned and that federal authorities had provided few details about the investigation. He added that he doesn’t expect any charges to be filed.
The AP also noted that one person familiar with the investigation said it wasn’t clear whether the suspects had the means to carry out an attack — but that the “Halloween reference” prompted the FBI to make the arrests.
This approach isn’t new; since the 9/11 attacks, the FBI has foiled several alleged plots through sting operations, sometimes involving agents posing as terror supporters or suppliers of fake equipment.
Community Fear and Resilience in the LGBTQ+ Community
For Detroit’s queer community, the threat — real or exaggerated — has reignited memories of Pulse (2016) and Club Q (2022), two tragedies where LGBTQ+ spaces became targets of hate.
Ferndale bar owner Tina Morales responded defiantly:
“They want us to be afraid. But if we stop dancing, they win. Our joy is our rebellion.”
Unanswered Questions
As of now, the FBI insists the arrests prevented potential violence, while defense counsel maintains that there was no real plot to begin with. The public is left in a gray area — between fear, relief, and skepticism.
For many in Detroit’s LGBTQ+ community, one truth remains: even when the threat doesn’t materialize, the feeling of being targeted never fully fades.
REFERENCE: The Associated Press News, NBC News, gaye