Former National Guard Member Charged in Foiled ISIS Plot to Attack Michigan Military Facility
In a chilling turn of events that has shaken the quiet community of Melvindale, Michigan, a 19-year-old former Michigan Army National Guard member stands accused of orchestrating a sinister plot to unleash terror on a U.S. military installation. Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a resident of this small town south of Detroit, now faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to execute a mass shooting at the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) facility at the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan, in the name of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). The allegations, detailed in a federal criminal complaint, paint a disturbing picture of a young man’s descent into extremism and the swift action of law enforcement that thwarted a potentially catastrophic attack.
The TACOM facility, a critical hub managing roughly 60 percent of the Army’s ground equipment supply chain, employs a largely civilian workforce dedicated to sustaining the tools of America’s military—everything from tanks to uniforms. It’s a place where the daily work of logistics supports soldiers worldwide, making it a symbolically potent target for an attack. Said, who enlisted in the National Guard in September 2022 and briefly trained at Fort Moore in Georgia, allegedly turned against the very institution he once served. Federal prosecutors say he devised a meticulous plan to carry out a violent assault, driven by an allegiance to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization notorious for its brutal campaigns of violence.
According to court documents, Said’s plot came to light through an undercover operation led by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. He reportedly confided in two undercover officers, mistakenly believing them to be ISIS sympathizers, about his intention to stage a mass shooting at TACOM. Over weeks, he provided them with armor-piercing ammunition, firearms magazines, and hands-on training in constructing Molotov cocktails—crude but deadly incendiary devices. He even flew a drone over the sprawling TACOM campus, located along 11 Mile Road, to conduct reconnaissance, mapping out entry points and identifying a specific building as the primary target. In one recorded conversation, Said’s chilling resolve was laid bare when he allegedly declared a “shoot-to-kill” approach, showing no regard for whether his targets were armed or unarmed.
The plot reached its climax on May 13, 2025, the day authorities say Said intended to strike. He traveled to an area near the TACOM facility and launched his drone, a move that signaled the attack’s imminent start. But before any harm could be done, federal agents moved in, arresting him on the spot. The swift intervention, the result of months of meticulous investigation, ensured that no lives were lost and no damage was inflicted on the military installation that serves as an economic cornerstone for Michigan, contributing billions in defense contracts to the state.
U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison, speaking for the Eastern District of Michigan, underscored the gravity of the threat. She described ISIS as a ruthless organization bent on targeting Americans and emphasized that such acts of terrorism strike at the heart of national security. Her office, she vowed, would pursue those who align with terrorist causes with unrelenting vigor. Similarly, Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command, called the arrest a sobering reminder of the need for vigilance, praising the collaborative efforts of Army special agents and FBI partners who worked tirelessly to stop Said.
If convicted, Said faces up to 20 years in prison for each of the two charges: attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device. His initial court appearance in Detroit, held the day after his arrest, saw prosecutors argue for his detention, citing him as a danger to the community and a flight risk. The case, now under the scrutiny of Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Salzenstein and National Security Division trial attorneys, is expected to unfold in the coming months, shedding further light on how a young man from a modest Michigan town came to embrace such a violent ideology.
For Melvindale and the broader Metro Detroit area, the news has sparked a mix of shock and relief—shock at the proximity of such a threat, and relief that law enforcement’s proactive measures prevented a tragedy. The TACOM facility, a fixture of Warren’s landscape, continues its vital work, undeterred but undoubtedly more alert. This case serves as a stark reminder of the persistent threat of homegrown extremism and the critical role of intelligence and collaboration in keeping communities safe. As the legal process moves forward, the nation watches, hoping for justice and answers in equal measure.
