2 charged in connection with alleged Halloween terror plot

(NewsNation) — Two people have been charged in connection with an alleged terrorist plot in Michigan over the Halloween weekend.

Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud have been charged with receiving and transferring — and attempting and conspiring to receive and transfer — firearms and 71 ammunition, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that the firearms and ammunition would be used to commit a federal crime of terrorism.

They are set to appear in court Monday.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced the foiled incident last week, when he said five people were arrested in connection with a terror plot. As of Monday, the Department of Justice has only charged two individuals.

The documents say Ali and an unnamed juvenile were referenced in third-party conversations on an encrypted communication app, and that the "brothers" were allegedly planning to conduct a terror attack in the U.S. on behalf of ISIS.

Ali is accused of purchasing a shotgun, an AR-15-style rifle and multiple firearms accessories, including a device that allows a shooter to increase the rate of fire on a semiautomatic weapon.

According to court documents, Mahmoud purchased 1,600 rounds of ammunition to be used in AR-15-style rifles during the attack.

The complaint says they scouted locations for an attack in Ferndale, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, and appeared to set the date for the attack for Halloween.

"Our newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot with multiple subjects arrested in the Eastern District of Michigan targeting the United States," Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on social media Monday. "According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear, and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil."

Court documents say investigators recovered evidence, including three AR-15-style rifles, shotguns, four handguns, more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition for the rifles, optical sights, two GoPro cameras, tactical vests, black tactical backpacks and 24 empty magazines compatible with the rifles.