The FBI said Monday it has stopped a series of attacks planned for New Year's Eve in Southern California. Alleged conspirators law enforcement officials sayare members of a far left, anti-capitalist, anti-government organization that target companies “engaged in activities affecting interstate and foreign trade.”
“This country defends the right to hold extreme views about its past, present and future, but violence is an unmistakable and feasible course,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said in a press release.
Federal and local law enforcement agencies worked together on the case, and experts say the uncovered plot highlights the success of interagency collaboration. They say it is also a reminder that extremism is not tied to any particular side of the political spectrum – it can arise from any social or political ideology.
Why did we write this
Politically motivated violence, such as the foiled plot in the Los Angeles area, can often be driven by specific beliefs rather than “pure ideology.” Experts say there are ways society can defuse potential acts and reduce the risk of terrorism.
Who is this group and what was its alleged plot?
Federal authorities charged four people of Greater Los Angeles with conspiracy and “possession of an unregistered destructive device.”[s]” for allegedly planning to use homemade bombs against two American businesses, as well as to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The defendants, officials say, are members of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which calls itself social media as a desire for “liberation through decolonization and tribal sovereignty.” Turtle Island is a term for North America used by some indigenous peoples. Instagram posts from the organization, which supports pro-Palestinian activists, call for decolonization, with one post reading: “Peaceful protest will never be enough.” Law enforcement says the account is run by Audrey Carroll, one of the defendants.
Threat experts who spoke to the Monitor said their knowledge of the group is limited to information released by federal authorities. “It's hard to understand how important it was and what the goals were ultimately,” says Randolph HallDirector of the Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Hazards and Emergencies at the University of Southern California.
Court documents describe a manifesto the group circulated called “Operation Midnight Sun,” which outlined plans to use improvised explosive devices on five potential targets. The task force arrested the group during the planning phase in the Mojave Desert, where the defendants were assembling bombs, according to the affidavit, which also said Ms. Carroll told a confidential informant that the plot “would be considered an act of terrorism.”
What does this story say about extremism in the United States?
Arrests point to recent rise in left-wing extremism, says Lorenzo VidinoDirector of the Program on Extremism at George Washington University.
While some people may remember the Weather Underground bombings in the early 1970s, left-wing violence since then has not been “terrorist in nature,” Dr. Vidino says. But “over the last couple of years, that dynamic has changed and we're seeing more and more of this.”
A research by the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows a surge in left-wing attacks over the past decade and a sharp decline in right-wing incidents in the past year.
Although political violence occurs throughout the world, the United States experiences it more than other Western countries, according to Dr. Vidino. “It’s more polarized,” he says.
What's different about America is that it partially coincides with increased polarization: First, law enforcement is aggressively pursuing violent extremists, which “allows for a pretty thorough level of scrutiny of some of these dynamics,” he says. Secondly, access to weapons is relatively easy. Third, America's First Amendment “allows protection for speech that is very extreme, and therefore may allow people to recruit other people to spread their message to a wider audience.” But being able to express extremist ideas can also be an alternative to violence, he adds.
While some conflicts can lead to violence, most do not, says Dr. Hall. “You can look at specific incidents where there is a connection, but let's say it hasn't become widespread in society for people to fight each other with guns or fists over political issues,” he says.
What does the alleged conspiracy say about the need for vigilance?
Extremism emerges from an increasingly complex “hodgepodge” of beliefs, says Mike DowningHead of Security at the private security firm Prevent Advisors.
“It's not pure ideology on one side and not pure ideology on the other, it's a mixed bag of things that are used to justify certain actions, how they became radicalized, how they mobilized into violence,” says Mr. Downing, who led counterterrorism operations in Los Angeles as a former deputy chief of the city police.
The FBI calls it “nihilistic violent extremism“: mostly people are young and online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, who choose from extremist beliefs. “An extremist, probably 50 years ago, read long manuals, philosophical treatises. Today it’s TikTok,” says Dr. Vidino. “They simplify a lot of things, and they are also fascinated by ultra-violence.”
A narrow focus on whether violence is coming from one end of the political spectrum rather than the other could lead law enforcement to ignore threats, Mr. Downing said. “We just have to be careful that we don't get caught up in this false sense of security by saying, 'Oh yeah, the evolution of these threats is only coming from one direction.'
A culture of violence can be changed, says Dr. Hall. “The ability to resolve disputes peacefully with institutions that promote dialogue and the rule of law, trust in the legal system are all important.”
Elected and civic leaders can set the tone. “This is important for all those in the political sphere who have the opportunity to influence… defuse the existing conflict,” he says. “I think it’s very valuable.”
The arrests in Southern California show how law enforcement agencies can work together successfully when their authority is not politicized, Mr. Downing said. Interactions such as community policing and educating people about terrorism reduce the motivation of extremists. “And if you reduce both the motivational part and the opportunity part,” he says, “you reduce the risk of terrorism.”
