FBI: Temple Israel attack was ‘Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism’

METRO DETROIT — The Federal Bureau of Investigations held a press conference March 30 with more insight on the possible motives behind the March 12 attack on Temple Israel. 

Jennifer Ruyan, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit office, led the press conference, but never mentioned by name the 41-year-old Dearborn man who was forensically identified as the suspect the week prior. 

“Based on the evidence gathered to date, we assess this attack to be a Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple in Michigan,” Runyan said. 

According to the FBI, the suspect started watching Hezbollah-inspired videos in January but began preparing a few days before the attack, purchasing an AR-style along with 10 rifle magazines and about 300 rounds of 0.223 rifle ammunition.

He also reportedly searched for a fireworks vendor, browsed websites for Jewish venues, and searched for information using phrases such as “largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan,” Runyan said. 

The suspect allegedly purchased more than $2,000 in fireworks and visited Temple Israel’s website to research the staff and events scheduled there. He also purchased 40 5-gallon jugs and filled many with gasoline, according to investigators. 

The suspect posted pictures to a Facebook album titled “Vengeance,” which included pictures of the late Ali Khamenei — then the supreme leader of Iran — and the late Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s former secretary general. He also shared pictures of family members including his brothers, niece and nephew. 

Investigators say the suspect also included a message with one of the pictures that read: “Burn their world, for we have a vendetta against him, and we never forget.”

The FBI said that in the early morning hours March 12, the assailant posted more pictures of family members on Facebook. He also reportedly posted the phrase, “We will seek retribution for their blood.”

While sitting in the parking lot of Temple Israel around 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., the suspect allegedly sent messages to his sister overseas and posted videos featuring anthems in the background saying, “We rely on God,” and showing passages from the Quran.

According to the FBI, his last message to his sister was in Arabic and allegedly stated, “This is the largest gathering place for Israelis in the state of Michigan. … I will forcefully enter and start shooting at them. … I will kill as many of them as I possibly can.”

He also reportedly called his ex-wife, with whom he has children, minutes before crashing his truck into the building. She called the Dearborn Police Department and asked them to do a wellness check on her ex-husband.  

At 12:19 p.m., the suspect crashed his gray Ford F-150 into the building. A gunfight ensued with him and security guards, and the assailant died. His truck was engulfed in flames and smoke filled the building. 

The children, staff and teachers safely exited the building and retreated to Shenandoah Country Club across the street from Temple Israel, where they were safe.

Jerome Gorgon, the U.S. attorney general for the Eastern District of Michigan, said that if the suspect were still alive, he would be charged with a federal crime of providing material support to Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist.  

According to Gorgon, under federal law, terrorism includes premeditated and politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets — in this case, the staff and children that were targeted at Temple Israel.

The U.S. designated Hezbollah as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997, Gorgon noted. 

West Bloomfield Township Police Chief Dale Young assured the community the police are here to protect them. 

“At this critical moment, I want to be absolutely clear we stand firmly with our Jewish community,” Young said. “We remain unwavering in our commitment to protect them and all members of our community from those who seek to do harm.”