ISIS Fanboy Took Aim at Army — And Missed
On a quiet Tuesday morning in Warren, Michigan, a 19-year-old stood near a U.S. Army facility, launching a drone into the sky.
He didn't know he was already surrounded by federal agents.
That flight wasn't the start of his plan — it was the end.
The Target: TACOM in Warren, Michigan
The facility in question was the Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM), located at the Detroit Arsenal in suburban Warren. It's a critical node in the U.S. Army's logistics infrastructure, employing thousands and managing much of the military's ground equipment supply chain.
This was the intended site of a mass shooting and firebombing allegedly plotted by Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a recent member of the Michigan Army National Guard. His plan, federal investigators say, was to use Molotov cocktails and assault-style weapons to inflict mass casualties in what they believe was an ISIS-inspired attack.
A Long Time Coming
Said's radicalization didn't start overnight. Authorities say he expressed interest in committing acts of violent jihad nearly a year before his arrest. According to court documents, he began communicating with individuals he believed were fellow ISIS supporters, as reported by ABC News. They were, in reality, undercover FBI agents.
By July 2024, federal agents had obtained a secret warrant to search Said's phone. Inside it, they reportedly found images of ISIS flags and communications indicating his intent to fight either abroad or on American soil.
Said began formulating a detailed plan in November 2024, authorities said. He conducted aerial reconnaissance over the military facility using a drone. He even trained the supposed co-conspirators on how to use Molotov cocktails and provided instructions on which buildings would result in maximum casualties. The agents recorded it all — audio, video, even handwritten diagrams.
Training, Trust, and Traps
Said had joined the Michigan Army National Guard in September 2022 and was discharged in December 2024 after failing to meet initial entry requirements.
Still, he allegedly relied on the military skills he'd learned to prepare for the attack, including firearms handling and explosives training. Prosecutors say he even helped the undercover operatives stockpile gear—armor-piercing rounds and high-capacity magazines among them, as reported by ABC News.
Despite his care, paranoia seemed to follow Said. At one point, he reportedly planted an Apple AirTag in one of the agents' vehicles, hoping to track their movements. But whatever suspicions he had didn't stop him from moving forward with the plot.
The Arrest: 1 Last Look
May 13, 2025, was supposed to be the day of the attack. Said and one of the undercover operatives arrived near TACOM in the morning, and Said launched a drone — his final recon mission. But federal agents had been watching. He was arrested on the spot.
According to the Justice Department, he now faces charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to destructive devices. If convicted, Said could face up to 20 years in prison for each count.
What Happens Now?
At his court appearance the following day, Said agreed to remain in custody without bond. No plea has been entered yet, and the investigation remains ongoing. His attorney, Senad Ramovic, has not commented publicly.
The FBI and Army Counterintelligence Command say the arrest was a reminder of the continuing threat of domestic radicalization. "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 and way of life," U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said in a statement reported by the Associated Press.
As for TACOM, the base remains operational and secure. There were no injuries, no damage — just a near-miss that will likely fuel conversation about homegrown extremism, drone surveillance, and the thin line between vigilance and tragedy.
References: FBI says man was planning a mass shooting at Army site in suburban Detroit | Former National Guardsman allegedly plotted ISIS-inspired attack on Michigan military facility | Michigan man arrested for alleged plot to conduct mass shooting at Army base
