'Potential terrorist attack' thwarted in Michigan: FBI chief

FBI Director Kash Patel said Friday that the agency had thwarted a "potential terrorist attack" planned in the northern US state of Michigan over Halloween weekend.

Patel did not provide any details about the alleged plot but CBS News, citing law enforcement sources, said it was "inspired" by Daesh.

"This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend," Patel said in a post on X.

"Through swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold."

CBS said five people between the ages of 16 and 20 were arrested Friday, and one or more of them may have known a former member of the Michigan National Guard who was arrested in May for planning an IS-inspired attack on a US Army site in suburban Detroit.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation had been monitoring an online discussion about the plot for some time, the broadcaster said.

According to CNN, members of the group had chatted online about carrying out an attack, practised with automatic weapons at a shooting range and made references to "pumpkin day."

In a post on Facebook, the police department in Dearborn, a city west of Detroit, said the FBI had conducted operations there early Friday.

"We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time," the police department said.

FBI agents were spotted searching homes in the Dearborn area on Friday morning.