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American Military News
17-05-2025
- American Military News
Fmr. Nat'l Guard member charged for planning mass shooting at US military base for ISIS
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard was arrested on Tuesday and charged for attempting to execute a plan on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) to 'conduct a mass-shooting' at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan. In a Wednesday press release, the Justice Department said that 19-year-old Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said has been charged with 'attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device.' 'This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,' Sue J. Bai, the head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said. 'Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.' Citing a criminal complaint against Said, the Justice Department said the former Michigan Army National Guard member told two undercover law enforcement officials about a plan he had developed to carry out a mass shooting at the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal, which is located in Warren, Michigan. READ MORE: Video: US airstrikes against ISIS terrorists revealed in new footage shared by Trump The Justice Department explained that the two undercover law enforcement officials indicated in April that they were going to 'carry out Said's plan at the direction of ISIS.' The Justice Department noted that Said 'provided material assistance to the attack plan, including providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack, flying his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance, training the undercover employees on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails for use during the attack, and planning numerous details of the attack including how to enter TACOM and which building to target.' According to Wednesday's press release, Said was arrested on May 13, which was the day he had planned for the attack against the U.S. military base, after traveling to a location near TACOM and launching a drone in support of the 'attack plan.' The Justice Department said that Said could face up to 20 years in prison for each of the charges brought against him if he is convicted. In Wednesday's press release, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead commended the FBI and its partner agencies for disrupting Said's alleged attempt to 'carry out an attack on a military facility in support of ISIS.' Holstead emphasized that the FBI remains 'steadfast' in its effort to prevent 'terrorist plans' targeted against the United States and its overseas interests.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Michigan man's alleged foiled terrorist attack: Melvindale neighbors react
The Brief A Melvindale man's plan to carry out a domestic terrorist attack at a U.S. military base in Southeast Michigan was thwarted by undercover officers. Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said had planned to assault the TACOM base in Warren on behalf of ISIS. He was taken into custody on the day of the attack. MELVINDALE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Melvindale man was arrested and placed behind bars Wednesday night after he allegedly tried to attack a military base in Warren. Meanwhile, his neighbors are shocked that the investigation unfolded just steps from their home. Big picture view Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said was charged with two felony counts in the U.S. Eastern District of Michigan. He was taken into custody on the day he planned to carry out the assault on the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command, also known as TACOM. Said's plan to attack the Detroit Arsenal facility in Warren was discovered by two undercover officers in April 2025. Meanwhile, neighbors are stunned as many didn't know him or the family, saying everyone on the block is friendly but keeps to themselves. They, including Ann Messinger and Robert Mazur, never expected what happened on Wednesday. "To, you know, come out of your bedroom and see all these cars and tanks—not tanks, but cars and everything—it's very scary. Very, very," Messinger said. The quiet block of Henry Street in Melvindale was shaken by the scene that unfolded on Tuesday. "I was going to watch TV yesterday and I turn around and I'm watching that all day. It was better than CSI. Really good stuff. It's shocking. It's scary," Mazur said. "I was totally scared when all the FBI cars were there. And they wouldn't let us know what's going on," said Messinger. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Said planned to carry out the attack on May 13. Instead, he was arrested after traveling near TACOM and launching a drone to help carry out the attack. Neighbors say the feds were in and out of his home for at least three hours. Feds say Said, who was once a member of the Michigan Army National Guard, told undercover agents of his plan of attack, providing them with ammo. Feds arrested him on Tuesday, the day he wanted to execute his plan. What they're saying The U.S. Attorney based in Michigan called any assistance to ISIS a reprehensible crime and a "threat to our entire nation." "Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism," attorney Jerome F. Gorgon said. The commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command said the arrest of a former solider was a "sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation." "We urge all Soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command, as the safety and security of our Army and our nation depends on our collective efforts to prevent insider threats," said Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox. What's next Said is expected to be arraigned on federal charges Wednesday afternoon. He faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted. The Source A press release from the Department of Justice was used in this story.
USA Today
15-05-2025
- USA Today
Former Michigan National Guardsman planned Army base attack for ISIS, prosecutors say
Former Michigan National Guardsman planned Army base attack for ISIS, prosecutors say Show Caption Hide Caption When to call 911 and when to use non-emergency lines This video explains the importance of knowing when to call 911 for emergencies and when to use non-emergency lines for less critical situations. DETROIT — A former member of the Michigan Army National Guard has been arrested for allegedly attempting to carry out a mass attack at a U.S. military base in suburban Detroit on behalf of the Islamic State militant group, federal prosecutors said. Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, of Melvindale, was arrested on May 13 and charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, according to a criminal complaint in U.S. District Court in Detroit. Said faces up to 20 years in prison for each count if convicted. Prosecutors accused Said of planning a mass shooting at the Army's Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command, or TACOM, facility in Warren. The alleged attack was scheduled to occur on May 13, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said in a news release on May 14. Prosecutors alleged that Said attempted to conduct the attack in support of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, known as ISIS. Though ISIS was largely defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019 by a U.S.-led military campaign, the militant group has been operating in the shadows with sleeper cells and has attracted people from across the world to join its ranks. "ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans. Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime – it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life," U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said in a statement on May 14. "Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism." New Orleans truck attack: Suspected ISIS member arrested in connection with New Orleans attack, Iraq says Ex-National Guardsman arrested after launching drone near Army base During an undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation, Said introduced and discussed a plan he devised to conduct a shooting at TACOM, according to an affidavit filed with the complaint. The affidavit alleges that in April, undercover FBI personnel purporting to be ISIS supporters indicated to Said that they intended to carry out his planned attack at the direction of the militant group. Said "provided assistance to the attack plan he originally devised − one that he believed would result in the death of many American citizens," the affidavit states. In response to the undercover agents, Said provided material assistance, including armor-piercing ammunition and magazines, according to the affidavit. He also flew his drone over TACOM to conduct operational reconnaissance and surveillance, the affidavit states. The affidavit further alleged that Said provided training to the undercover agents on the use of firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails. Prosecutors added that he planned "numerous details of the attack, including how to enter TACOM and which building to target." Prosecutors said Said was arrested on May 13 − the day of the scheduled attack − after he went to an area near TACOM and launched his drone in support of the plan. Sue Bai, head of the Department of Justice's National Security Division, said in the news release that the attack was "foiled ... before lives were lost." Said enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard around September 2022, attended initial basic training at Fort Moore, Georgia, and reported to the Michigan Army National Guard Taylor Armory after completing initial training, according to the affidavit. It indicated he was discharged from the Michigan Army National Guard around December. 'Heightened threat environment': ICE arrests 8 people suspected of having ties to ISIS terrorist group Latest case connecting extremism and the U.S. military Researchers have reported a possible growing trend between the military and extremist activity, according to a December 2024 report from the University of Maryland's National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, or START. The report notes that about 15% of the people charged with committing crimes at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 had connections to the military, and also finds that 'from 1990 through 2023, 730 individuals with U.S. military backgrounds committed criminal acts that were motivated by their political, economic, social, or religious goals.' Experts have long discussed the issue of extremist activity among military ranks and veterans. Recent data has shown that having a military background is the 'single strongest predictor' of violent extremism in America, according to START. Recent attacks in the United States have heightened concerns about potential terror threats in the country, including the New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people and the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion. Though authorities have said the two incidents were unrelated, both involved men with military backgrounds and were investigated as possible terrorist attacks. Authorities later revealed that the suspect in the New Orleans attack was inspired by ISIS. The two incidents remain under investigation. Contributing: Will Carless, USA TODAY; Reuters
New York Post
15-05-2025
- New York Post
Former National Guardsman allegedly plotted ISIS-inspired attack to shoot up military base in Michigan: feds
A former member of the Michigan Army National Guard was arrested for plotting a disturbing ISIS-inspired mass shooting at a military base near Detroit, federal prosecutors announced. Anmar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, was busted Tuesday attempting to carry out the twisted attack for the terror group near US Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) in Warren, according to the US Justice Department. Prosecutors said the shooting was thwarted after the Melvindale man disclosed his lethal plan to two undercover FBI agents posing as fellow ISIS supporters. Advertisement 4 Anmar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, was arrested Tuesday for plotting an ISIS-inspired attack. Department of Justice 'The defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,' Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department's National Security Division, said in a statement. 'Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost. We will not hesitate to bring the full force of the Department to find and prosecute those who seek to harm our men and women in the military and to protect all Americans.' Advertisement Said had planned for nearly six months to open fire at the TACOM facility, which manages the Army's supply chain for tanks, and provided the undercover operatives with armor-piercing ammunition and high-capacity magazines to execute the twisted attack on Tuesday, prosecutors detailed in the complaint. 4 Prosecutors said the accused terrorist used a drone to conduct aerial surveillance of the attack site. Department of Justice The depraved former soldier also used a drone to conduct aerial surveillance of the attack site, trained the covert agents to use Molotov cocktails, and directed them to strike a specific building to kill the most people. Said, who spent two years as a guardsman until he was discharged in December, was apprehended after he went to an area near the military base and launched his drone in support of his horrific plan, officials said. Advertisement 4 The targeted attack site at the Michigan military base manages the Army's supply chain for tanks. AP It wasn't immediately clear why he was discharged. The federal complaint also includes a photo of Said standing in front of an ISIS flag, allegedly pledging his loyalty to the terrorist organization's leader. 'ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans,' said Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. Advertisement 4 A still from the federal complaint captured the former soldier standing in front of an ISIS flag pledging his loyalty to the terror group's leader. Department of Justice 'Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime — it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life. Our office will not tolerate such crimes or threats, and we will use the full weight of the law against anyone who engages in terrorism.' Said was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each charge.
CBC
14-05-2025
- CBC
FBI says man was planning mass shooting at army site in suburban Detroit
A 19-year-old man was arrested after spending months planning an attack against a U.S. Army site in suburban Detroit on behalf of the Islamic State group, authorities said Wednesday. Ammar Said was planning to have another person commit a mass shooting at the Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, but he didn't know that two supposed allies were undercover FBI employees keeping track of every step, the government said. Investigators recorded audio and video images of their meetings with Said, including handwritten diagrams of the site, which is known as TACOM and the Detroit Arsenal. Said, a recent member of the Michigan Army National Guard, was arrested Tuesday shortly after launching a drone for a final look before an attack, the FBI said in a court filing. "Helping ISIS or any other terrorist organization prepare or carry out acts of violence is not only a reprehensible crime — it is a threat to our entire nation and way of life," U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said. The FBI said Said planned to send one of the undercover agents into TACOM with Molotov cocktails and assault-style weapons. Said, a Detroit-area resident, appeared in court Wednesday on charges of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device. He agreed to remain in custody without bond. Senad Ramovic, a lawyer who represented Said during the brief appearance, declined to comment. TACOM employs thousands of people and manages the Army's ground equipment supply chain. It says it is the only active-duty Army installation in Michigan. Said was under investigation about a year ago when he told an undercover FBI employee about a "longstanding desire to engage in violent jihad," or war, either overseas or in the U.S., the FBI said. Authorities last July performed a secret search of his phone, which he had turned over to National Guard personnel before boarding a military aircraft. The FBI said it found references to jihad and images of Islamic State flags.
