FEDS FOIL CHILLING ISIS PLOT: 19yo Somali-American Ex-National Guard Soldier Targeted Michigan Army Base for Mass Shooting
- 17GEN4
- May 16
- 3 min read
FEDS FOIL ISIS-INSPIRED TERROR PLOT: 19-Year-Old Ex-Michigan National Guardsman Arrested Hours Before Planned Mass Shooting at U.S. Army Base
WARREN, Mich. — Federal authorities thwarted a chilling ISIS-inspired terrorist plot targeting a major U.S. Army facility in Michigan just as the suspect prepared to execute a mass shooting attack, the Department of Justice announced on May 14, 2025.
Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a 19-year-old resident of Melvindale, Michigan, and former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, was arrested on May 13, 2025—the day he had scheduled for the assault—after launching a drone for reconnaissance near the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan.
According to a federal criminal complaint, Said devised a detailed plan for a mass shooting at TACOM, which manages the Army’s tank and vehicle supply chain. He sought to use armor-piercing ammunition, magazines, Molotov cocktails, and a drone as part of the operation. He shared extensive operational details with two undercover law enforcement officers whom he believed were fellow ISIS supporters.
Said provided material support by supplying armor-piercing ammo and magazines, conducting drone reconnaissance flights over the base, training the undercover agents on firearms handling and Molotov cocktail construction, and outlining entry points and specific building targets inside the facility.
The plot unfolded over months. Said had been in contact with the undercover officers since around June 2024 (or as early as the previous year in some accounts). In April 2025, the officers signaled they would carry out the attack under ISIS direction, prompting Said to escalate his involvement. On the planned attack day, May 13, he traveled near the base and deployed his drone, leading to his immediate arrest.
Said, who enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard in September 2022, completed basic training at Fort Moore, Georgia, and was assigned to a Taylor Armory unit before being discharged in December 2024. He reportedly joined partly for weapons training and boasted about assembling weapons in the dark. He expressed being “fed up with this country” and a desire for violent jihad, preferring a U.S. attack over traveling abroad because it offered greater impact. He had been discharged from the Guard around the time of escalating his plans.
He faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) and distributing information related to a destructive device. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Prosecutors requested pretrial detention, citing danger to the community and flight risk. The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Officials praised the operation. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. stated, “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.” Army Counterintelligence highlighted the importance of detecting insider threats.
As of mid-May 2026, there are no public updates on trial proceedings or additional charges beyond the initial May 2025 announcements; Said remains in federal custody pending further court action. 17GEN4.com
FEDS FOIL CHILLING ISIS PLOT: 19yo Somali-American Ex-National Guard Soldier Targeted Michigan Army Base for Mass Shooting
19-year-old Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, former Michigan National Guardsman, arrested May 13, 2025, after drone recon for ISIS-inspired attack on TACOM Detroit Arsenal. Full details on foiled plot involving drones, armor-piercing rounds, and Molotovs.
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