A person arrested in Louisiana who was tied to a terrorist group behind a thwarted New Year’s Eve bombing attack had plans to attack Border Patrol agents in New Orleans, according to new court documents. The person arrested by the FBI New Orleans Office in New Iberia was identified as Micah James Legnon. Legnon, who is a former Marine with military combat experience, went by the alias “Black Witch” in a group chat with four others connected with the failed bombing attack planned for businesses across California. According to the court documents, Legnon was a member of the terror group called The Turtle Island Liberation Front. Legnon was also part of a more extreme group within that organization called The Black Lotus. Legnon indicated in a social media post that they “wanted to recreate Waco” on Border Patrol agents. Legnon then shared in a group chat a video of multiple guns, gas canisters and body armor with the message “On my way to NOLA now, be there in about two hours.” The FBI tracked Legnon from an apartment to Highway 90 eastbound toward New Orleans. Legnon was then taken into custody and is facing threats in interstate commerce charges. Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following statement on the arrest: “It’s extremely disturbing to find out that someone from Louisiana was arrested for his role in planning an attack on federal immigration enforcement agents in New Orleans. While the FBI is the lead on this investigation, if state charges can be lodged, we will seek them. I’m grateful for the extraordinary work by FBI Director Kash Patel and his agents to keep America safe from extremists and terrorists who want to inflict harm on immigration enforcement agents and the American people.”The FBI Los Angeles office confirmed Monday that four people were arrested in California and a fifth person, Legnon, in New Iberia, Louisiana, who were part of the same extremist group. Four were arrested in California for a bombing plot for New Year’s Eve.Legnon was not part of the California bombings plan; however, the FBI said Legnon was “a considerable threat” and part of the terror organization.The plot behind the planned bombings in California was eerily similar to the plan of Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, who placed bombs in coolers around the French Quarter and then drove a truck through a crowded Bourbon Street when those bombs did not detonate.According to the FBI, the extremist group is called the Turtle Island Liberation Front.The four suspects’ plan included placing backpacks with pipe bombs at businesses across California.According to the FBI, the group is believed to be behind multiple organized terror attack plots across the United States.The four suspects in connection with the planned bombings in California met in the desert to test the bombs. They were taken into custody, and search warrants led the FBI to the fifth person, Legnon, who was then arrested in New Iberia.They each face charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, court documents show.
NEW ORLEANS —
A person arrested in Louisiana who was tied to a terrorist group behind a thwarted New Year’s Eve bombing attack had plans to attack Border Patrol agents in New Orleans, according to new court documents.
The person arrested by the FBI New Orleans Office in New Iberia was identified as Micah James Legnon.
Legnon, who is a former Marine with military combat experience, went by the alias “Black Witch” in a group chat with four others connected with the failed bombing attack planned for businesses across California.
According to the court documents, Legnon was a member of the terror group called The Turtle Island Liberation Front. Legnon was also part of a more extreme group within that organization called The Black Lotus.
Legnon indicated in a social media post that they “wanted to recreate Waco” on Border Patrol agents.
Legnon then shared in a group chat a video of multiple guns, gas canisters and body armor with the message “On my way to NOLA now, be there in about two hours.”
The FBI tracked Legnon from an apartment to Highway 90 eastbound toward New Orleans.
Legnon was then taken into custody and is facing threats in interstate commerce charges.
Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following statement on the arrest:
“It’s extremely disturbing to find out that someone from Louisiana was arrested for his role in planning an attack on federal immigration enforcement agents in New Orleans. While the FBI is the lead on this investigation, if state charges can be lodged, we will seek them. I’m grateful for the extraordinary work by FBI Director Kash Patel and his agents to keep America safe from extremists and terrorists who want to inflict harm on immigration enforcement agents and the American people.”
The FBI Los Angeles office confirmed Monday that four people were arrested in California and a fifth person, Legnon, in New Iberia, Louisiana, who were part of the same extremist group.
Four were arrested in California for a bombing plot for New Year’s Eve.
Legnon was not part of the California bombings plan; however, the FBI said Legnon was “a considerable threat” and part of the terror organization.
The plot behind the planned bombings in California was eerily similar to the plan of Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, who placed bombs in coolers around the French Quarter and then drove a truck through a crowded Bourbon Street when those bombs did not detonate.
According to the FBI, the extremist group is called the Turtle Island Liberation Front.
The four suspects’ plan included placing backpacks with pipe bombs at businesses across California.
According to the FBI, the group is believed to be behind multiple organized terror attack plots across the United States.
The four suspects in connection with the planned bombings in California met in the desert to test the bombs. They were taken into custody, and search warrants led the FBI to the fifth person, Legnon, who was then arrested in New Iberia.
They each face charges including conspiracy and possession of a destructive device, court documents show.