CaliToday (07/11/2025): A 'Digital Caliphate' Fuels Domestic Threat, Sparking Chilling Echoes of Pulse Nightclub Massacre
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has successfully disrupted a sophisticated, multi-state terror plot inspired by ISIS, which planned to unleash a mass casualty attack on LGBTQ bars across New Jersey and Michigan on Halloween night.
The operation, one of the most significant domestic counter-terrorism interventions in recent years, serves as a stark reminder of the enduring threat of online radicalization by the Islamic State.
Milo Sedarat, 21, of Edison, NJ, and Tomas Jimenez-Guzel, 22, of Newark, NJ, have been federally charged with "conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization."
According to the indictment, the two men were part of a 15-member encrypted group on the Signal platform, which served as a digital hub for sharing ISIS propaganda and coordinating "covert attacks" designed to evade law enforcement.
The investigation uncovered chilling details of their commitment. Jimenez-Guzel allegedly pledged an oath of allegiance (bay'ah) to ISIS and was photographed with the terrorist organization's flag. He was apprehended at Newark Liberty International Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Turkey, with the alleged intent of traveling to Syria to join ISIS ranks.
A Coordinated, Multi-State Conspiracy
The plot's scope widened significantly as investigators uncovered its links to another extremist cell in Michigan. This separate group, involving three other individuals, was reportedly planning a simultaneous assault ominously titled "Operation Pumpkin."
The plan was clear and brutal: target LGBTQ venues, which ISIS propaganda decries as "symbols of decadent Western culture," with a combination of firearms and explosives. The choice of Halloween, a night of mass public celebration, was calculated to inflict maximum and chaotic casualties.
"This conspiracy underscores the fact that ISIS's online network is still actively recruiting, radicalizing, and inciting violence—it is a clear and present danger to the American homeland," stated FBI Director Kash Patel in a press briefing.
Echoes of Pulse and the "Digital Caliphate"
The details of the plot carry haunting parallels to the 2016 Pulse Nightclub tragedy in Orlando, where an ISIS-inspired gunman murdered 49 people at a gay bar.
Community leaders were quick to respond. Sarah Kate Ellis, President of GLAAD, issued a statement thanking the FBI for "preventing a horrific and heartbreaking tragedy," but added a grave warning:
"Hate doesn't disappear—it just moves online. This is a terrifying reminder that the LGBTQ community remains a high-priority target for extremists, fueled by a dangerous 'digital caliphate' that operates beyond borders."
The investigation, a coordinated effort between the FBI, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), was initiated after a community tip about suspicious online activity. Surveillance revealed the suspects were actively researching improvised weapon construction, surveillance evasion techniques, and celebrating past terror attacks.
On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), news of the arrests sparked an outpouring of gratitude toward the FBI, quickly followed by renewed calls for tech companies to more aggressively police extremist content.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that this case is a testament to the effectiveness of U.S. counter-terrorism protocols, as the conspiracy was neutralized before any physical harm occurred. If convicted, the New Jersey suspects face up to 20 years in federal prison.
CaliToday.Net