Foiled Plot: Attempted Mass Shooting at Detroit Military Base

In a dramatic turn of events, FBI agents have apprehended a former Michigan Army National Guard officer for his alleged involvement in planning a mass shooting at a U.S. military base near Detroit, Michigan on behalf of the Islamic State. The planned attack targeted the Army's Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, federal prosecutors disclosed on Wednesday.

Nineteen-year-old Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said was arrested on Tuesday after investigative authorities discovered his involvement in the surveillance of the military installation using a drone. A criminal complaint reveals that Said had been in contact with undercover officers, whom he believed were operatives of the Islamic State, and had pledged his allegiance to an IS leader. Said was also charged with distributing information on a destructive device and could face up to 20 years in prison per charge.

Said had enlisted in the Michigan National Guard in September 2022 and was discharged in 2024. During his service, he received weapons training which he boasted about to undercover officers. This operation, led by the Justice Department's national security division, successfully prevented an attack, according to Sue J. Bai. Said was scheduled for a federal court appearance on Wednesday, with no indication of legal representation yet.

(With inputs from agencies.)