'The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS'

16:18, Fri, Jan 2, 2026 Updated: 16:37, Fri, Jan 2, 2026

Islamic State/Iraq/Syria: A masked Islamic State soldier poses holding the ISIL banner somewhere in the deserts of Iraq or Syria. ISIL publicity image

The FBI in Charlotte said 'the subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS' (Image: Getty)

A horrifying ISIS-inspired terrorist attack on New Year's Eve was thwarted by the FBI and its law enforcement partners. FBI charlotte says the potential terrorist attack would have taken place in North Carolina.

In a post on X, FBI Charlotte wrote: "#BREAKING The #FBI and our law enforcement partners thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year's Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS." The U.S. Attorney WDNC and FBI Special Agent in Charge will announce details at an 11.30am (4.30pm BST) news conference in Charlotte.

#BREAKING The #FBI and our law enforcement partners thwarted a potential terrorist attack on New Year's Eve in North Carolina. The subject was directly inspired to act by ISIS. The @USAO_WDNC and FBI Special Agent in Charge will announce details at an 11:30 am news conference in… pic.twitter.com/APsaKTdeuF

— FBI Charlotte (@FBICharlotte) January 2, 2026

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This comes after another horror and credible terror threat was foiled by the FBI, with four people arrested and accused of planning coordinated New Year’s Eve bombings in  Los Angeles. 

Members of a radical offshoot of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), an anti-colonial activist group, were allegedly planning attacks using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at five different locations, the FBI told Fox News Digital.

All four were arrested in Lucerne Valley, California, where they were believed to be testing the IEDs, and have since been charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.

A fifth person also believed to be a part of the group was arrested on Monday in New Orleans for allegedly planning a separate attack, the FBI said.

A TILF Instagram account said its founding chapter is in Los Angeles, and its goal is to free "Turtle Island," an Indigenous name used to refer to North America, from the "illegal American empire".

Celebrations on New Year's Eve were scrapped in cities around the world as local authorities feared terror threats in cities from Sydney to Paris. Thousands of people looking to celebrate the start of 2026 had their plans thwarted as reports of planned attacks have caused parties, fireworks and live events to be cancelled.