ABC News, FOX News, and NBC News contributed to this report.
Two Michigan men are accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired attack timed for Halloween — a plan they allegedly code-named “pumpkin day.” Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud, both US citizens, were arrested Friday; a federal complaint unsealed Monday lays out the case.
According to the Justice Department, the pair and several associates trained at gun ranges around the state, shared ISIS-linked propaganda in encrypted chats, and scouted nightlife spots — including Ferndale, a Detroit suburb known for clubs and bars. Investigators say the group talked about doing “the same thing as France,” referencing the 2015 Paris attacks, and mentioned a possible target like a “club, a disco,” echoing the Pulse nightclub massacre.
When agents searched homes and a storage unit on Oct. 31, they say they found multiple AR-15-style rifles, shotguns and handguns, tactical vests, GoPro cameras, and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition. The complaint also notes purchases of a shotgun, an AR-15-style rifle, and a “forced reset trigger” — a device that can increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic weapon. Both defendants were legally allowed to buy firearms, per the filing.
The alleged plot traces back months. A 2024 Customs and Border Protection phone search of an unnamed co-conspirator flagged ISIS-related searches and images in military-style gear. Through summer and fall 2025, group calls and chats captured the evolution from talk of traveling overseas to, allegedly, staying in the US to launch an attack. On Oct. 17, Ali allegedly told someone,
“We’ve got some new plan for real,” urging them to learn to shoot. By Oct. 24, an associate allegedly said, “We are going to do pumpkin.”
Authorities ultimately charged Ali and Mahmoud with receiving, transferring, and attempting to receive and transfer firearms and ammunition knowing — or having reason to believe — they’d be used to commit a federal crime of terrorism. Five people were taken into custody overall, but only two are charged in the 73-page complaint.
Officials praised the takedown. Attorney General Pam Bondi thanked the FBI for stopping the plan “before innocent lives were lost,” and FBI Director Kash Patel said agents “acted quickly and likely saved many lives.” A lawyer for Ali countered there was no real plot, describing his client as a 20-year-old with a lawful interest in recreational firearms.
Ali and Mahmoud were expected in court Monday afternoon.
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