DETROIT — A 19-year-old former Michigan Army National Guard soldier has been arrested and charged in an alleged ISIS-inspired terror plot to carry out a mass shooting at a U.S. military installation in Warren, Michigan, federal authorities said Tuesday.
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, who served in the Michigan National Guard from 2022 until his discharge in December 2024, was taken into custody near the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) after allegedly planning to attack the site using armor-piercing ammunition and homemade explosives.
Federal prosecutors say Said called the attack a “dream” in communications with undercover FBI agents, who had posed as ISIS operatives over several months. The plot was disrupted just hours before its scheduled execution on the morning of May 13.
According to the criminal complaint filed in federal court, Said first began speaking with undercover agents in June 2024, while he was still enlisted. He expressed a desire to wage jihad against the United States, telling agents he was “fed up with this country” and sought either “victory or martyrdom.”
In October, Said outlined a plan to launch an assault on the Detroit Armory, saying that targeting Americans domestically would have greater impact than fighting abroad. “Over here [in the United States], it’s like, it’s a dream,” he told agents.
Over the following months, he reportedly provided tactical support, including armor-piercing ammunition and high-capacity magazines. He also instructed agents on how to create Molotov cocktails and conducted drone surveillance of the facility to map out entry points and patrol schedules.
“For us, whether they’re armed or not, it’s shoot-to-kill,” Said allegedly stated while planning the attack, which he scheduled for 10 a.m. on May 13.
Dressed in black, Said arrived with an undercover agent at the planned scene, launched his drone for reconnaissance, and was immediately arrested by federal law enforcement.
“This is a reprehensible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. in a Department of Justice press release. “Anyone working with a foreign terrorist organization like ISIS to commit violence against Americans will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Sue J. Bai, head of the DOJ’s National Security Division, credited “the tireless efforts of law enforcement” with foiling the attack before any lives were lost. She emphasized the department’s commitment to protecting U.S. service members and civilians from terrorism.
Said now faces federal charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information on destructive devices—charges that each carry up to 20 years in prison.
Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, commander of the Army Counterintelligence Command, described the arrest as a “sobering reminder” of the threat posed by insider actors.
“Our special agents and FBI partners worked relentlessly to investigate and apprehend this individual,” Cox said. “We urge all Soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, as the safety of our Army and nation depends on our collective efforts.”
The arrest highlights growing concerns over homegrown violent extremism and radicalization within U.S. institutions, particularly in the wake of ISIS propaganda targeting disaffected youth and military veterans.
Said remains in federal custody and is awaiting arraignment. If convicted, he could face decades behind bars.
the-sun.com
