Four alleged members of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-government extremist group, have been federally indicted following the foiling of what authorities describe as a detailed and potentially devastating New Year’s Eve bombing plot in Southern California. The indictment, announced on December 23, 2025, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and reported by multiple outlets including Fox News and the Justice Department, outlines a chilling plan to attack technology and logistics businesses and target federal law enforcement officers.
The suspects – Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, of South Los Angeles; Zachary Aaron Page, 32, of Torrance; Dante James Anthony-Gaffield, 24, of South Los Angeles; and Tia (also referred to as Tina) Lai, 41, of Glendale – now face a slew of terrorism-related felonies. The charges include conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, and possession of unregistered firearms. Carroll and Page, identified as key planners, each face the most severe charge of conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction, which could result in life imprisonment if convicted. Lai and Gaffield could face up to 25 years behind bars.
The group’s plot, code-named “Operation Midnight Sun,” was meticulously documented in an eight-page handwritten manifesto allegedly authored by Carroll. According to the Justice Department, the document provided not only a list of intended targets but also step-by-step bomb-making instructions, procurement strategies for materials, and advice on how to avoid leaving behind any traceable evidence. Carroll, prosecutors allege, then recruited Page, Gaffield, and Lai to join the conspiracy.
Prosecutors say the group’s ambitions were nothing short of catastrophic. The plan was to “completely pulverize” their targets, which included at least five businesses in Los Angeles and Orange counties. The indictment does not name the specific companies targeted, but officials have confirmed they were technology and logistics firms with significant facilities in the region. According to Fox News, the group also discussed further attacks on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and vehicles after the initial bombings, with the intention to “take some of them out and scare the rest of them.”
Investigators say the defendants coordinated their activities using encrypted messaging apps, believing this would shield their communications from law enforcement. On November 29, 2025, Page sent a message to co-conspirators Carroll and Gaffield declaring, “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic].” Carroll replied, “Death to them all, burn it all down,” punctuating her message with three burning heart emojis. According to court documents, Carroll also made other alarming statements, including, “I identify as a terrorist,” and “I am a Hamas fangirl.” She reportedly denounced peaceful protests and instead fantasized about ambushing law enforcement agents.
Throughout early December 2025, the group procured bomb-making materials such as potassium nitrate, sulfur, charcoal, and pipes. On December 12, they traveled to the Mojave Desert to conduct live weapons testing with improvised explosives and firearms. However, unbeknownst to the suspects, their every move was being closely monitored by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. According to Fox News, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team intercepted the group during these tests, effectively foiling the plot before any actual attack could take place.
Authorities say the suspects went to great lengths to avoid detection. They wrapped their phones in tinfoil to create makeshift Faraday bags, hoping to block any electronic surveillance, and used apps designed to automatically delete encrypted messages. Despite these efforts, law enforcement was able to infiltrate the group with the help of informants and undercover agents. Carroll, in particular, unwittingly shared the group’s bombing plans with individuals working for law enforcement, giving the FBI access to handwritten plans, lists of bomb-making materials, and details about the group’s extremist messaging network.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, at a press briefing on December 15, praised the “exceptional coordination” between federal, state, and local agencies that led to the arrests. “This was a sophisticated and deeply troubling plot,” Luna said, “but thanks to the vigilance of our teams and the bravery of informants, we were able to intervene before anyone was harmed.”
The indictment alleges that after the New Year’s Eve bombings, Carroll and Page intended to escalate their campaign by targeting ICE agents and vehicles, aiming to intimidate and harm law enforcement. According to the Justice Department, this was not an idle threat. Carroll’s handwritten manifesto included instructions for using firearms and pipe bombs in these subsequent attacks.
All four defendants are set to appear in federal court in the Central District of California. Lai’s arraignment is scheduled for January 2, 2026, while Carroll and Page are expected in court on January 5, and Gaffield on January 20. The charges brought against them are among the most serious in the federal criminal code, reflecting the gravity of the alleged offenses and the potential for mass casualties had the plot succeeded.
The case has drawn national attention, not only for the scale of the planned violence but also for the methods used by both the suspects and law enforcement. The TILF, described by prosecutors as an anti-government extremist group, is alleged to have glorified terrorism and actively sought to inspire others to commit acts of mass violence. The group’s use of encrypted communications and efforts to evade surveillance highlight both the evolving tactics of domestic extremist groups and the challenges facing law enforcement in preventing such attacks.
Authorities have not disclosed whether additional suspects are being sought or if the investigation is ongoing. However, officials have emphasized that the public was never in immediate danger, thanks to the timely intervention of law enforcement. The swift action by the FBI and local agencies, aided by undercover operatives and sophisticated surveillance techniques, is being hailed as a model for counterterrorism efforts nationwide.
As the four defendants prepare to face their day in court, the case serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat posed by domestic extremist groups—and the importance of vigilance, intelligence-sharing, and community cooperation in keeping such threats at bay.
