Two men were charged with terrorism-related crimes in the Detroit area after federal authorities made arrests and seized a cache of weapons last week in a storage unit and elsewhere, officials said Monday.
The men had scouted LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb, according to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court.
FBI Director Kash Patel had announced arrests Friday, but no other details were released at the time while agents searched a home in Dearborn and a storage unit in nearby Inkster.
The court filing says the two men who were charged and other co-conspirators were inspired by Islamic State extremism. Investigators say a minor was also involved in the discussions.
The FBI said the men repeatedly referred to “pumpkins” in their conversations, a reference to a Halloween attack.
The two men will appear in court Monday afternoon for their initial appearance. Defense lawyer Amir Makled over the weekend seemed to wave off the allegations, saying they were the result of “hysteria” and “fearmongering.”
