Michigan man allegedly tried to attack military base for Islamic State group

Authorities arrested a former Michigan Army National Guard member who planned to commit a mass shooting at a U.S. military base just north Detroit, according to a Wednesday statement from the Department of Justice. Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said planned to carry out the attack on behalf of the Islamic State terror group, the DOJ said. The 19-year-old was charged with providing material support to a foreign terror group and distributing information related to a destructive device. He could face up to 20 years in prison for each charge, the department’s statement noted.

How was the attack stopped? Said allegedly shared his plan to attack the Army’s Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command at the Detroit Arsenal with two undercover law enforcement officers. The undercover officers gained Said’s trust and appeared to agree to carry out the plan to support the Islamic State group, according to the release. Said offered material assistance to launch the attack by providing armor-piercing ammunition and magazines for the attack and conducting operational reconnaissance by flying his drone over the area. He also trained the undercover agents on how to construct Molotov cocktails and use firearms during the attack, the DOJ added. The 19-year-old also constructed the plan with numerous details on how to enter, and which building to target. Authorities arrested Said on Tuesday, the day the attack was scheduled, when he went to launch his supporting drone for the attack.

Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command, described the former soldier’s arrest as a sobering reminder of the importance of counterintelligence efforts. He encouraged all soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to their chain of command to protect against insider threats. Said was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, where federal prosecutors would request that the accused be held in pretrial detention of the possible danger he posed to the community and concerns that he would flee.