FBI director Kash Patel said on Friday that the agency had prevented a “potential terrorist attack” planned in the northern US state of Michigan over the Halloween weekend.
Authorities did not immediately release many details, but Sebastian Gorka, the White House senior director for counter-terrorism, said federal agents had disrupted a “jihadi terror plot”.
In a post on X, Mr Patel said that “multiple subjects” had allegedly planned to carry out “a violent attack”.
“Through swift action and close co-ordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold,” Mr Patel said.
“The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack − and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween.”
Mr Patel did not say which city the suspects had been arrested in, but in a post on Facebook, the Dearborn police department in Dearborn − a city west of Detroit − said the FBI had conducted operations there early on Friday.
“We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time,” the police department said. FBI agents were spotted searching homes in the Dearborn area on Friday morning.
Dearborn is home to the largest Arab population and one of the largest Muslim populations in the US.
Jordan Hall, an FBI representative in Detroit, said investigators were also in the suburb of Inkster, adding that there was no threat to public safety.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on X that she was briefed by Mr Patel. She said she was grateful for “swift action” but disclosed no details.
Separately, in May, the FBI said it arrested a man who had allegedly spent months planning an attack against a US Army site in suburban Detroit on behalf of ISIS. The detained man, Ammar Said, did not know that his supposed allies in the alleged plot were undercover FBI employees.
Mr Said remains in custody, charged with attempting to provide support to a terrorist organisation.
