Ringleader of leftist group charged in LA bomb plot called herself ‘a Hamas fangirl’

Far-left activists who were arrested while allegedly plotting a mass bombing campaign in California repeatedly discussed violence toward Israel and identified with the Hamas terrorist group, according to a Tuesday indictment.

Earlier this month, US federal authorities announced the foiled plot by an activist group called the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

Turtle Island is a term used by some indigenous groups to describe North America.

The group is a far-left, anti-Israel, anti-government and anti-capitalist network that participated in a vitriolic protest against a Los Angeles synagogue earlier this month, while some of its members were allegedly planning their bombing campaign.

Four activists have been charged in the bombing plot — Audrey Illeene Carroll, Zachary Aaron Page, Dante Gaffield and Tina Lai. They range in age from 24 to 41.

The indictment, filed on Tuesday in a federal court in California, said the four were part of a radical faction of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, called Order of the Black Lotus.

Carroll created a document, titled “Operation Midnight Sun,” that outlined a mass bombing campaign across Southern California on New Year’s Eve, the indictment said.

The goal of the plot was to “pulverize” targets, such as the offices of technology and logistics companies, and to kill federal immigration agents.

Carroll drafted the other alleged conspirators into the plot and the group began acquiring materials to make bombs, the indictment said.

While they were planning the attacks and assembling the explosives last month and this month, the group repeatedly made statements about violence toward Israel.

Page, using an encrypted messaging application, messaged the other alleged conspirators, saying, “death to israel death to the usa death to colonizers death to settler-coloniasm [sic.].”

In response, Carroll wrote back, “Death to them all, burn it all down,” followed by three emojis of a burning heart.

Days later, ringleader Carroll wrote to the group, “I identify as a terrorist,” and, “I am a Hamas fangirl.”

Later that day, Gaffield wrote to the group, “I am here to destroy Zionism by any means necessary.”

“Real Activism = Destroying Zionism By Any Means, even if it’s risky. If you aren’t willing to die for or lose your freedom, then you’re just another toy in the machine,” he wrote.

Carroll responded, “Glory to the martyrs and death to Israel.”

Carroll also said that it was time for America to fall and that America falling will make Israel fall, the indictment said.

Prosecutors released photos of posters found in Carroll’s home. Several were marked with inverted red triangles, a pro-Hamas symbol, and one said, “Death to America, long live Turtle Island and Palestine.”

The same week the group exchanged the messages and planned the bombs, the Turtle Island Liberation Front appeared to join a protest against a Los Angeles synagogue. During the protest, some demonstrators made it inside the synagogue to disrupt a private event.

The Turtle Island Liberation Front had advertised the protest on social media, calling the congregants “genocidal monsters.”

“These genocidal war criminals have no place in our city, and no place in Palestine. Never let them live in peace,” the post said.

The group bought bombmaking materials, such as PVC pipes, potassium nitrate, sulfur powder, gasoline, electronics and pistol primers. They traveled to a remote campsite in the desert with the material to test the explosives, but were arrested by the FBI before assembling the bombs.

Prosecutors released photos from the scene showing signs that said “Free Palestine” on a table with the bomb materials.

Charges against the group include providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists; possession of unregistered firearms; and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.

Carroll and Page face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Gaffield and Lai face up to 25 years in prison.

A series of surveys has found that further left and younger Americans are increasingly open to political violence.