Former National Guard member accused of planning ISIS attack on military base

A 19-year-old former member of the Michigan Army National Guard has been arrested and charged with attempting to carry out a mass shooting at a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to federal authorities.

Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, of Melvindale, was arrested Tuesday near the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal, where officials say he had traveled to support an attack he believed was being carried out that day, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Michigan.

According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Said shared a detailed plan with two undercover law enforcement officers to conduct a mass shooting at TACOM. In April, after the officers told Said they were acting under the direction of ISIS, he allegedly provided them with material support for the planned attack. That support included armor-piercing ammunition, rifle magazines, and operational guidance based on aerial surveillance he conducted using a drone.

Prosecutors say Said also trained the undercover officers in firearm use and in constructing Molotov cocktails. He is accused of helping identify entry routes and specific buildings to target inside the TACOM facility.

On the day of the planned attack, he was taken into custody after launching his drone near the base. Authorities are seeking pretrial detention, citing the defendant’s potential danger to the community and flight risk.

The suspect has been charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device. If convicted, Said faces up to 20 years in prison for each count.

“This defendant is charged with planning a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home for ISIS,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts of law enforcement, we foiled the attack before lives were lost.”