The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced on Tuesday (December 30) that during an undercover investigation conducted by the New York City Police Department (NYPD), a 21-year-old man from Texas attempted to provide bomb-making materials to an undercover agent pretending to be a member of the terrorist group ISIS. According to the Department of Justice, the man has been arrested and charged by the federal government with international terrorism offenses.
The indictment states that in mid-October 2025, an undercover officer from the NYPD noticed a social media account following multiple pro-ISIS accounts and commenting on a post supporting ISIS. The owner of this account was a 21-year-old Texan named John Michael Garza Jr.
The NYPD undercover officer engaged with Garza on social media, where Garza expressed agreement with ISIS’s ideology and sent the officer multiple official ISIS press releases. In November and December of this year, Garza paid the undercover officer in cryptocurrency, believing he was supporting ISIS by purchasing firearms and other supplies.
Garza also shared a video depicting a suicide car bomb attack and began disclosing his plans to the undercover officer to purchase materials for making explosives. Garza informed the undercover officer that he would buy these ingredients and agreed to meet another individual he believed supported ISIS activities on December 22 (Monday). That person turned out to be an FBI agent.
During the meeting, Garza provided the FBI undercover agent with various explosive components and explained how to mix them and wrap them with nails. He even suggested sending a bomb-making tutorial video to the undercover agent.
Shortly after the meeting, Garza was arrested by federal law enforcement officers and subsequently charged by the federal authorities for attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, Garza could face up to 20 years in federal prison.
“This case demonstrates the outstanding work of our federal agents who tirelessly strive to save the lives of the American people,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a statement. “The toxic ideology of ISIS must be completely eradicated – anyone attempting to carry out violence on behalf of ISIS will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted. You cannot escape our legal system.”
“Today’s announcement highlights the FBI’s determination to combat terrorism and signifies our ongoing efforts to prevent and thwart terror plots against the American public,” said FBI Director Kash Patel.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that these charges underscore the very real threat of terrorism and extremist violence to our nation.
“The NYPD will continue to work towards identifying, dismantling, and destroying these networks at the source – snuffing them out before they cause harm to individuals,” Tisch said. “Anyone endangering the safety of the American people will face legal consequences and be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”