A 19-year-old former member of the Michigan Army National Guard has been charged with attempting to carry out a terrorist attack on a U.S. military base in Warren, Michigan, federal authorities announced Wednesday.
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said of Melvindale faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, offenses that carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison each.
According to a federal complaint, Said allegedly plotted to conduct a mass shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, a critical hub responsible for managing approximately 60% of the Army’s ground equipment.
The plan, which prosecutors say was devised on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), was disrupted Tuesday following an undercover investigation led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and Army Counterintelligence Command.
Authorities detailed that Said provided armor-piercing ammunition, conducted reconnaissance via drone over the TACOM facility, and trained undercover officers—whom he believed were ISIS operatives—on firearms and the construction of Molotov cocktails.
The complaint alleges Said intended to execute the attack on May 13, coordinating entry points and target buildings. He was arrested that day after launching a drone near the base in support of the operation.
Interim U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. condemned the alleged plot, stating, “Helping ISIS 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.”
Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, credited law enforcement with preventing “a deadly attack on a U.S. military base here at home.”
Said, who appeared in federal court Wednesday, consented to detention after prosecutors argued he posed a danger to the community and flight risk. His attorney, William Swor, declined to comment on the charges.
The TACOM facility, which contributed $6.3 billion in defense contracts to Michigan’s economy in 2022, sustains critical military operations, including equipment maintenance and supply chain management. Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox of Army Counterintelligence Command emphasized the case as a “sobering reminder” of the need for vigilance against insider threats.
Warren Mayor Lori Stone praised investigators for averting a “potential tragedy,” while neighboring officials echoed relief over the thwarted plot. Said’s initial court appearance proceeded without incident, with further proceedings pending.
The charges remain allegations, and Said is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. The FBI’s investigation continues.
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