Feds: Melvindale man plotted terrorist attack at TACOM

WARREN — A former Michigan Army National Guard member from Melvindale is accused of planning a mass shooting, which was set for May 13, at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command in Warren.

Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, planned to carry out the attack for the terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to a May 14 press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

“ISIS is a brutal terrorist organization which seeks to kill Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. in the release. “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 is charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device. Each charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, according to the release.

The arrest came from the efforts of two undercover FBI agents who Said attempted to recruit for the attack. The court filing details the prep work for the alleged attack planned for May 13.

“…Said provided assistance to the attack plan he originally devised — one that he believed would result in the death of many American citizens — including operational reconnaissance and surveillance of TACOM, including through the use of an aerial drone; providing ammunition and magazines Said understood would be used during the attack, including ‘armor piercing’ ammunition; training regarding the use of a firearm and construction of Molotov cocktails that Said understood would be used during the course of the attack; and planning, guidance and military expertise with respect to execution of the attack,” the court filing states.

Said was caught planning for the attack, according to the court filing. The undercover agents and Said went to a preselected location near TACOM on May 13, dressed in black clothing, to launch a drone that would provide advance surveillance before the attack.

“The FBI in Michigan is unwavering in our mission to safeguard the American people, particularly our brave service members who risk their lives to defend this nation,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “In strong partnership with the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force will relentlessly identify, disrupt, and bring to justice anyone who attempts to carry out violent attacks against the United States and its territories.”

Said joined the National Guard in 2022, according to the court filing. He did his basic training at Fort Moore in Georgia and, after completion, reported to the Michigan Army National Guard Taylor Armory. He was discharged around December of last year.

“The arrest of this former Soldier is a sobering reminder of the importance of our counterintelligence efforts to identify and disrupt those who would seek to harm our nation,” Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command, said in the release. “I commend the tireless work of our special agents and FBI partners who worked together to investigate and apprehend this individual. We will continue to collaborate with our partners to prevent similar incidents in the future. 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.”

Warren Mayor Lori Stone issued a statement about the arrest and the investigation.

“This is a chilling reminder that the threat of terrorism is not confined to distant battlefields — it can emerge from within our own communities,” Stone said, later adding that TACOM was “...one of our nation’s premier military logistics facilities.”

Stone’s release thanked the FBI and Army Counterintelligence Command for their efforts to thwart the attack. She added if residents “see something, say something,” echoing the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s slogan, which was eventually acquired by Homeland Security, after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

“This case underscores the persistent threat of domestic radicalization and the critical importance of vigilant counterterrorism efforts,” Stone said in the release. “It also highlights the continued need for collaboration between law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and local communities to identify and disrupt violent extremist plots before they can be carried out.”