The FBI has arrested a 21-year-old man from Texas accused of trying to support ISIS by providing bomb-making materials and sending funds to individuals he believed were linked to the terrorist group. The arrest comes just days before New Year’s Eve, when Americans traditionally gather in large crowds to celebrate.
John Michael Garza Jr., of Midlothian, Texas, was charged last week with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to a federal complaint, Garza met with an undercover FBI agent on December 22 and handed over several explosive components. He allegedly described how to mix the ingredients, suggested surrounding them with nails for maximum impact, and offered to provide a video demonstrating bomb assembly.
The Department of Justice said the investigation began in mid-October after an undercover New York City Police Department employee noticed Garza’s social media activity. Garza, who described himself as a 21-year-old Mexican-American living in Texas, followed pro-ISIS accounts and expressed support for the group’s ideology online.
🚨 BREAKING: FBI thwarts ANOTHER ISIS-linked terror plot just days before New Year’s Eve!
A 21-year-old Texas man, John Michael Garza Jr., arrested for handing bomb-making materials to an undercover agent posing as an ISIS member.
He sent crypto, propaganda videos, and even… pic.twitter.com/IpWXjmB6GD
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) December 30, 2025
Over the following months, he reportedly sent official ISIS media releases, propaganda videos—including depictions of suicide bombings—and small amounts of cryptocurrency to individuals he believed were ISIS supporters. Garza was arrested shortly after the December 22 meeting and made his initial court appearance on December 23. A probable cause and detention hearing is scheduled for December 30.
If convicted, Garza could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi praised the operation, saying, “This case is a testament to the incredible work of our federal agents, who work tirelessly to save American lives. ISIS’s poisonous ideology must be uprooted — anyone who tries to commit violence on ISIS’s behalf will be found, arrested, and prosecuted.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added, “Today’s announcement highlights the FBI’s commitment to combatting terrorism and demonstrates our ongoing efforts to disrupt plots against the American public. Let this serve as a warning: anyone planning attacks on behalf of terrorist organizations will be brought to justice.”