Federal authorities in the United States have disrupted a planned attack on New Orleans, arresting a former US marine who was allegedly travelling to the city armed with guns and body armour.
Surveillance and Arrest of Micah James Legnon
According to court documents obtained by the Associated Press, Micah James Legnon, 28, was taken into custody on 12 December while driving towards New Orleans. He has been charged with making threats in interstate commerce. The FBI had been monitoring Legnon due to his suspected ties to an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government organisation.
Agents stated that after Legnon posted "On my way" in a group chat, he shared a video showing a gun and a bulletproof vest with the caption "just incase". Upon his arrest, law enforcement discovered an assault rifle, a pistol, a gas canister, and body armour inside his vehicle. A subsequent search of his apartment in New Iberia, Louisiana, uncovered:
- Sniper and SWAT training manuals
- Assault rifles
- Multiple rounds of ammunition
Links to Wider Extremist Network and 'Waco' Reference
Officials believe Legnon is associated with the Turtle Island Liberation Front, described by federal authorities as a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group. The group advocates for "liberation through decolonization tribal sovereignty".
Authorities revealed in court filings that Legnon, using the alias "Kateri The Witch", suggested it was time to "recreate" Waco with an attack in New Orleans. This is believed to reference the 1993 siege in Waco, Texas, which resulted in dozens of deaths. The plans reportedly intensified following the deployment of several hundred Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to south-east Louisiana for an operation dubbed "Catahoula Crunch".
Connection to Foiled California Bomb Plot
This arrest is connected to a broader investigation. Four other members of the same group were arrested on Friday in the Mojave desert, east of Los Angeles. They were allegedly rehearsing a plot to detonate bombs across southern California on New Year's Eve.
The criminal complaint details that a member had created a plan to plant complex pipe bombs in backpacks at five or more businesses, set to explode simultaneously at midnight. Two members had also discussed attacking ICE agents and vehicles with pipe bombs in 2026.
Some aspects of this foiled plot bear an eerie resemblance to the deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street on New Year's Day 2025, which killed 14 people. The perpetrator in that attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, had also placed undetonated bombs around the French Quarter.
Court documents have not listed an attorney for Legnon. The offices of the state public defender and the US attorney for the western district of Louisiana did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding his legal representation.
