Federal agents say the New Iberia man they arrested as part of a suspected terror plot was on his way to New Orleans to commit another terror attack in the city.
According to court filings, the suspect Micah Legnon, 29, is a former Marine with combat training experience.
In those filings, federal agents say Legnon was traveling towards New Orleans from New Iberia on Highway 90 when they stopped him and executed a search warrant on his vehicle. That's when, agents said, they found an assault rifle, a pistol, gas canisters, and body armor in Legnon's car. That search happened after agents surveilled Legnon's home and executed a search warrant there. That search, officials say, turned up sniper training manuals, SWAT training manuals, more assault rifles, and ammunition.
"And in addition to that, they have extensive communications that they've intercepted between this individual and other members in his--what the agents have characterized as a--radical government group," Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino said.
Among those communications is a message in which Legnon allegedly told his compadres that he was on his way to New Orleans.
For now, Legnon is facing one count of threats by interstate commerce. That charge stems from online chats Legnon allegedly had with other members of the Turtle Island Liberation Front in which, agents say, he helped plot a series of foiled New Year's Eve bombings in the Los Angeles area.
"If convicted, it carries a jail sentence of up to five years," Ciolino said.
According to Ciolino, Legnon likely will face other charges.
"The allegations in that complaint support much more serious charges than this," Ciolino said. "There could be more serious conspiracy (and) terrorism-type charges that we could see down the road once this investigation is complete."
Ciolino says those charges likely won't be filed for a few months. That's because, he says, investigations of this type take a long time to complete.
"The government, no doubt, is going to execute search warrants for telephones, residences, cars, and gather all of the evidence it can," Ciolino said.