FBI Director Kash Patel (Official photo)
Early Friday morning on Halloween Day, FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X after agents raided homes in Dearborn in connection with a suspected terrorism case: “Through swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold. The vigilance of the FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack — and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween.”
But the Wall Street Journal reports:
There was one problem: No criminal charges had yet been filed and local police weren’t aware of the details. Two friends of the alleged terrorists in New Jersey and Washington state caught wind of the arrests and moved up plans to leave the country, according to court documents and law-enforcement officials familiar with the investigation.
Justice Department leaders complained to the White House about Patel’s premature post, saying it had disrupted the investigation, administration officials said...
Local and state officials, who would usually be briefed on such an announcement before its release, were unaware of the investigation and called each other to find out what was going on.
To date, a total of eight people from Michigan, New Jersey, and Washington state have been charged in an alleged plot to attack LGBTQ+-friendly clubs in Ferndale and at Cedar Point in Ohio.
