Federal investigators say a suspect accused in the planned Michigan Halloween terror attack allegedly sought advice on when to carry out the violence from the father of a radical Islamic preacher long known for promoting jihad against the West.
According to an FBI criminal complaint, Mohmed Ali, 20, and an unnamed juvenile discussed reaching out to the father of a local “Islamic ideologue” to ask for guidance on the timing of what they referred to as a “good deed.”
The “Islamic ideologue” was not directly named in the filing, but federal agents cited a research paper on radicalization that identified Ahmad Musa Jibril, a Dearborn-based cleric known for his support of ISIS. Jibril’s father, Shaykh Musa Abdullah Jibril, founded a mosque in Dearborn and was reportedly the person the suspects contacted.
According to court documents, the juvenile called Jibril’s father on October 29, saying he planned to do a “good deed” but was unsure of “what day to do it.” The elder Jibril allegedly told him not to delay and to “carry out the deed.”
Authorities emphasized there is no evidence the preacher’s father knew the true nature of the plot.
Still, investigators say the suspects took the advice as a signal to move forward. When the juvenile relayed the conversation to Ali, he reportedly remarked that if the preacher’s father had understood the actual plan, he “would not have said what he did.”
Ahmad Musa Jibril, the preacher referenced in the documents, has a long record of incendiary online sermons encouraging Muslims to wage jihad and reject what he calls “American-Zionist Islam.” His past rhetoric has been linked to radicalization cases, including the 2017 London Bridge attack.
Ali is among several suspects charged this week in connection with the alleged terror conspiracy. He and two other Michigan residents — Ayob Nasser, 19, and Majed Mahmoud, 20 — face charges of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated terrorist organization, as well as receiving and transferring firearms and ammunition for terrorism.
Investigators allege the group exchanged ISIS propaganda on Discord and scouted potential targets, including LGBTQ+-friendly venues, as part of their planning. Two juveniles, identified only as “Person 1” and “Person 2” in court filings, were also involved.
Authorities in New Jersey later arrested two additional suspects — Tomas Jimenez-Guzel and Saed Mirreh, both 19 — who allegedly had connections to the same terror plot. Both men, described as student athletes from Montclair, were charged with conspiring to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization. Jimenez-Guzel, apprehended while attempting to board a flight to Turkey, also faces a separate charge of attempting to provide material support.
Federal investigators say the multi-state investigation is ongoing as law enforcement works to determine whether others may have been involved.