(DCNF)—Leftists charged in a suspected bombing plot in California allegedly told an undercover FBI informant of their radical intentions several times before their Friday arrest, even mentioning a “terrorist diary,” court records show.
The paid informant and an undercover FBI agent were key to infiltrating the leftist group Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF) and disrupting its alleged New Year’s Eve terrorist plot, the FBI said in a criminal complaint filed Saturday. Defendant Zachary Page said during a December in-person meeting — which included the unnamed informant and agent — that he was “100,000 percent” sure the FBI would certainly be tracking TILF’s activities ahead of the attack, according to the complaint.
“I kind of had this notebook where I wrote down multiple plans that never happened or got delayed,” Audrey Carroll, another of the four TILF defendants, allegedly said in a Dec. 10 text to the informant on Signal. “So it’s like / my terrorist diary / lmaooooo / I have to get rid of that.”
The same woman gave the undercover operative a handwritten document labeled “Operation Midnight Sun” that outlined the New Year’s Eve bombing plot, which involved detonating bombs at companies across Los Angeles when the clock struck midnight, the FBI alleged. The FBI’s surveillance climaxed with a Friday SWAT raid in the Mojave Desert, where the four defendants allegedly gathered at a campsite to test explosives, officials said Monday.
Court records do not yet list attorneys for the defendants, who made their first appearance in court Monday on charges of conspiracy and possessing an unregistered explosive device.
Sneaking law enforcement operatives into left-wing extremist groups can be difficult as they are often highly focused on operational security, or “opsec,” Center for Security Policy counterterrorism analyst Kyle Shideler told the Daily Caller News Foundation. He has previously advised law enforcement and spoken to Congress on national security topics.
“The amount of time these groups spend thinking about what they call ‘security culture’ is significant,” Shideler said. “They provide education on identifying potential infiltrators, in addition to avoiding technical surveillance.”
The FBI called the informant “reliable,” adding that the person has no criminal history, gave helpful information in other cases and had worked with the bureau since August 2021.
More details are needed to know how the Trump administration pulled it off, “But in general I believe infiltrating leftist groups is a significant challenge,” Shideler told the DCNF. “They’ve more than a [hundred] years of history dealing with police surveillance, including the lessons from the new left terrorists of the 1960s and the eco-terrorists of the 1990s.”
TILF defendants met with the FBI’s informant or undercover agent at least three times to discuss their planned terrorism between Nov. 26 and Dec. 7, the FBI alleged. They then drove in two cars with the federal operatives to the desert, where authorities moved in for arrest, the complaint says.
“What we’re doing will be considered a terrorist act,” Carroll said during the road trip, according to the FBI.
Undercover FBI work within leftist terror cells is not unheard of, though the bureau appears to use more informants to disrupt white supremacist or right-wing groups, according to Ryan Mauro, who studies extremism for Capital Research Center.
“Based on my anecdotal but extensive work with law enforcement on these issues, I do know that the use of informants against these kinds of criminal anarchist and communist extremists happens frequently enough for it to not be uncommon,” Mauro said.
“There might be more criminal offenders inside the ‘far-right,’ partially because the demographic is a bit older on average, so members have had more time to get themselves into trouble,” he told the DCNF. “That being said, I can without a doubt tell you there is more of a focus on ‘far-left’ extremists, but it is warranted based on their growth in size and capability.”
The FBI investigated TILF based on orders from President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to prioritize targeting domestic terrorist groups, especially left-wing extremists, Department of Justice (DOJ) officials said Monday. TILF’s radical statements on Instagram underscored its anti-government crusade, they said.
“Death to America. Death to colonizers. Death to capitalism. Death to imperialism. Is not violent,” TILF said in an Oct. 21 Instagram post. “Support of these structures is.”
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Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.