A chilling descent into hatred unfolded for a 21-year-old New Jersey man, culminating in a disrupted terror plot just before Halloween. Federal agents uncovered a disturbing evolution from online anti-Semitic rhetoric to meticulously detailed fantasies of violence against Jewish people, fueled by ISIS-inspired ideology.
Milo Sedarat, along with five other suspects across three states, now faces charges related to planned mass shootings in Michigan and attempts to join the Islamic State in Syria. The investigation revealed a deeply ingrained animosity, expressed in stark and horrifying terms through digital communication.
According to a federal criminal complaint, Sedarat brazenly declared himself “the biggest anti semite in America” to an unidentified friend. This sentiment intensified following the outbreak of pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses, allegedly prompting him to write, “I hope a second holocaust happens to them.”
The hatred wasn’t confined to abstract pronouncements. Sedarat reportedly expressed a desire to harm individuals close to him, specifically his mother’s Jewish friends, believing they were “brainwashing” her with “Zionist” ideology. He chillingly detailed plans to attack them with a sword.
A concerned friend, recognizing the escalating danger, attempted to intervene, even hiding one of Sedarat’s swords. However, he continued to share images of himself brandishing multiple blades, his violent intentions undeterred.
The digital trail revealed increasingly disturbing scenarios. Sedarat allegedly fantasized about driving into an Israeli protest and intentionally harming attendees, and even described lining up and executing 500 Jewish men before enslaving their families. His preference for a sword over a gun was disturbingly specific – he wanted to “look them in the eyes” during the act of violence.
The scope of his potential violence extended beyond the immediate area. Investigators discovered a cloud storage account containing videos of Sedarat at a gun range, alongside messages detailing plans to detonate a bomb at an unnamed company headquarters in Palo Alto, California.
Federal agents executed the arrest at his father’s home in Montclair, New Jersey, deploying tactical gear and armored vehicles. The scene underscored the gravity of the threat they had neutralized. Sedarat has yet to enter a plea in federal court.
His father, a respected Iranian-American poet and English professor, remains silent amidst the unfolding legal proceedings. The case serves as a stark reminder of the insidious spread of extremist ideologies and the potential for online hate to translate into real-world violence.
