A 19-year-old man from Melvindale, Michigan, named Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, has been arrested for trying to carry out a deadly attack on a U.S. military base. Said, a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, is accused of planning to attack the Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan. The attack was meant to be done on behalf of ISIS, a dangerous terrorist group also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
Said has been charged with trying to provide support to a foreign terrorist group and sharing information about making harmful devices. If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in prison for each charge.
Authorities say Said planned the attack carefully. He shared his plan with undercover law enforcement officers, thinking they would help him carry out the shooting. He also gave them armor-piercing bullets and magazines, flew a drone over the military base to gather information, and trained the officers on how to use guns and make Molotov cocktails — dangerous homemade bombs. He planned many details of how to enter the facility and which building to target.
On May 13, the day the attack was supposed to happen, Said was arrested near the TACOM base after flying his drone. Law enforcement officials believe the arrest prevented a deadly attack that could have harmed many people.
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Officials Praise Law Enforcement Efforts
Several officials spoke out after the arrest, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime and the importance of stopping such attacks before anyone gets hurt.
Sue J. Bai, who leads the Justice Department’s National Security Division, said the attack was planned to kill military members in the United States. She thanked law enforcement officers for their hard work in stopping the attack before any lives were lost. She also promised that the Department of Justice will continue to take strong action against anyone who threatens the safety of military members and all Americans.
Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, described ISIS as a brutal terrorist group that wants to kill Americans. He said that helping ISIS or any terrorist group plan or carry out violent acts is a serious crime and a threat to the nation. His office will use all legal power to stop these crimes and protect people.
Donald M. Holstead, the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, said the FBI remains dedicated to detecting and stopping terrorist attacks aimed at the U.S. homeland or American interests abroad. He praised the FBI and its partners for disrupting the attack plan.
Brigadier General Rhett R. Cox, commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command, reminded everyone that this arrest is a clear example of why the military’s counterintelligence efforts are so important. He praised the special agents and FBI partners who worked together to stop the attack. He encouraged soldiers to stay alert and report any suspicious behavior to keep the Army and the nation safe from insider threats.
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Case Details and Ongoing Investigation
According to the criminal complaint, Ammar Said had created a detailed plan to carry out a mass shooting at the TACOM facility. He told two undercover officers about his plan and offered them weapons and training to help make it happen. The officers pretended they wanted to carry out the attack for ISIS. Said even used a drone to spy on the military base to gather more information for the attack.
Authorities arrested Said before any attack could happen. He is currently in custody and will appear in court soon. Prosecutors are asking the court to keep him in jail until his trial because they believe he is dangerous and might try to run away.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation into this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are handling the prosecution.
It is important to remember that a complaint is just an accusation. Ammar Said is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The full details of this case will be decided by the justice system.
