The federal authorities have apprehended Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, for allegedly conspiring to execute a mass shooting at a military installation in Warren, Michigan. This arrest underscores the persistent threat of domestic terrorism, particularly from individuals who have previously been part of military structures.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that the 19-year-old Said has been charged with “attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization” and “distributing information related to a destructive device.” This legal language sounds dry but it paints a picture of a young man drawn into a web of radical ideology.
According to the criminal complaint, Said divulged his sinister plans to two undercover law enforcement officers, revealing a meticulously crafted strategy for a mass shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility, located at the Detroit Arsenal. In April 2025, these officers, posing as accomplices, indicated their willingness to execute his plan under the aegis of ISIS. Said then took steps to provide practical assistance to this ill-fated plot, which included supplying armor-piercing ammunition and magazines, conducting reconnaissance flights with his drone over TACOM, and even training the undercover operatives in firearms usage and the art of crafting Molotov cocktails. He meticulously planned various operational details, including how to infiltrate the facility and which specific buildings were to be targeted.
On May 13, the very day earmarked for the attack, Said was apprehended after he ventured into the vicinity of TACOM and launched his drone as part of the operation. His initial court appearance is scheduled for today in the Eastern District of Michigan. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is expected to request that he be held in pretrial detention, citing his potential danger to the community and the risk of flight.
CNN reported:
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former Michigan Army National Guard member, found himself on the wrong side of the law this week, as federal authorities allege he plotted to carry out a mass shooting at a military base in Michigan on behalf of the ISIS terrorist organization. The Justice Department confirmed this alarming development on Wednesday.
On the very day of the planned assault, Said was arrested after he had visited an area near the military base and launched a drone in support of the attack plan, as stated by the DOJ.
The target of Said’s plot was the Army’s Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command facility, situated in a Detroit suburb and responsible for managing the Army’s tank supply chain. Federal prosecutors assert that Said not only trained undercover law enforcement officers in weapon handling and Molotov cocktail preparation but also provided them with armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the assault.
Charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device, Said’s case raises significant questions about the effectiveness of current counter-terrorism strategies, particularly in preventing individuals with military training from being lured into extremist ideologies. Court documents, however, do not list an attorney for Said.
