Bill Assele

The defendants are all radical anti-government members of the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

The four defendants are Audrey Carroll, 30 years old, Zachary Aaron Page, 32, Dante Gaffield, 24, and Tina Lay, 41, each from the Los Angeles area.

Each is charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device in violation of Title 26, United States Code Section 5861D.

We intend to file additional charges in the coming weeks as we finish reviewing the evidence.

The defendants are all radical anti-government members of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, which according to their own social media is an anti-capitalist, anti-government movement that calls for their associates to rise up and fight back against capitalism.

One of the leaders of the organization, defendant Audrey Carroll, helped organize an even more radical faction of the group called the Order of the Black Lotus.

Each of the defendants charged today was also a member of the Order of the Black Lotus.

Carroll described this group to her co-conspirators as everything radical.

The FBI says the suspects identified themselves as part of a violent offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, who were planning to hit five locations across Los Angeles using improvised explosive devices.

Agents arrested the group in Lucerne Valley, where they were reportedly preparing to test explosives and charge them with conspiracy and possession of destructive devices.

A fifth suspected member was arrested in New Orleans for a separate plant attack.

Officials say the group also discussed targeting ICE agents.

Here's Assistant U.S.

Attorney Bill Assele.