Federal prosecutors say two Dearborn men — Mohmed Ismail Ali and Majed Mahmoud — along with a teenage accomplice referred to only as Person 1, were planning a terrorist attack on Halloween night on behalf of the Islamic State (ISIS).
The newly unsealed criminal complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, lays out chilling details of what investigators call an ISIS-inspired plot to commit a mass-casualty attack inside the United States. The FBI says the men used the code word “Pumpkin” to secretly refer to Halloween and had been practicing, stockpiling, and coordinating for weeks leading up to October 31.
Encrypted Chats and the “Pumpkin” Code
According to Special Agent Nicholas Czech of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the suspects communicated through encrypted messaging apps and used coded language to avoid detection. Court filings say Ali, Mahmoud, and the juvenile discussed the operation repeatedly in the weeks before Halloween — referring to the date as “Pumpkin” and calling the plot an “operation” or “wedding,” terms commonly used by ISIS supporters for martyrdom missions.
In one recorded conversation, Ali allegedly told the juvenile, “We’re gonna do pumpkin for real.” The juvenile replied, “We already agreed on this day.”
Investigators say the men described their intent to “die as martyrs” and even debated the timing of the attack, with one warning that waiting too long would “only make things worse.”
Weapons, Ammo, and Training
The FBI affidavit outlines a month-long string of firearms purchases and training sessions:
- August–September 2025: Ali purchased a Beretta A300 12-gauge shotgun and an AR-15-style rifle along with optics, a forced-reset trigger, and tactical accessories.
- September 2025: Mahmoud bought his own AR-15-style rifle and later ordered 1,680 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition online.
- October 2025: The group was seen at Downriver Guns in Belleville and Brownstown on at least four occasions. Surveillance video showed Ali and Mahmoud firing their rifles while wearing tactical clothing. The juvenile was also observed shooting an AR-15 and shotgun.
Federal agents later recovered three AR-15 rifles, two shotguns, four handguns, tactical vests, GoPro cameras, and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition from the suspects’ homes and a rented storage unit.
Scouting the Target Area
Cell-phone location data placed Ali, Mahmoud, and the juvenile in downtown Ferndale on multiple late nights in September 2025 — near a stretch of Woodward Avenue known for its nightclubs, bars, and LGBTQ-friendly venues.
Agents believe those trips were “reconnaissance runs” to scout potential attack sites. One earlier discussion between overseas ISIS contacts mentioned that the Dearborn men wanted to do “the same thing as France,” a reference to the 2015 Paris attacks that killed 137 people, many at concert halls and clubs.
Meetings in the Dark
The complaint describes a series of secret in-person meetings throughout October at Hemlock Park and Lapeer Park in Dearborn, where the trio allegedly brought equipment from their vehicles into wooded areas at night.
Investigators say these gatherings were designed to avoid family members overhearing conversations at home or electronic surveillance over encrypted channels.
Seeking “Approval” from Extremist Figure
By late October, the FBI says the juvenile told Ali that he had contacted the father of a well-known Islamic extremist preacher to seek guidance about when to carry out the operation. That preacher, identified in the affidavit only as the “Islamic Ideologue,” is known internationally for spreading ISIS-aligned ideology online.
The suspects allegedly saw the planned Halloween attack as a way to fulfill a religious duty and achieve martyrdom.
The Day of the Raid
On October 31, 2025, federal agents executed multiple search warrants in Dearborn and surrounding areas. The raids recovered the rifles, handguns, ammunition, and tactical equipment listed in the complaint — along with two GoPro cameras believed to have been intended for recording the attack.
Both Ali and Mahmoud were taken into custody without incident and now face charges under 18 U.S.C. § 924(h) for receiving and transferring firearms with knowledge that they would be used in a federal crime of terrorism. The complaint also references potential violations of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B for providing material support to ISIS.
FBI Statement and Ongoing Investigation
Investigators have not identified a specific final target or confirmed whether explosives were involved, but say the group’s online activity, encrypted chats, and repeated gun-range sessions indicated a coordinated effort to strike a crowded public venue.
Court documents emphasize that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force intervened just days — and possibly hours — before the planned attack. Officials credit international intelligence sharing and domestic surveillance operations for stopping what they believe could have been a large-scale mass-casualty event on Halloween night.
Metro Detroit Remains on Alert
As of publication, both suspects remain in federal custody pending further hearings. Authorities stress there is no ongoing threat to the public.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hank Moon, with Special Agent Nicholas Czech leading the FBI investigation.
Summary
Federal prosecutors say the alleged plot followed a familiar pattern: radicalization online, coded communication, weapons stockpiling, and practice at local gun ranges — all culminating in a planned act of violence timed for maximum impact.
If proven true, the “Pumpkin” plan could have been one of the most significant domestic terror incidents in Michigan’s history.
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