FBI says Temple Israel attacker said he wanted to "kill as many of them as I possibly can"

Federal officials said Monday that the attack on Temple Israel earlier in March was a "Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism."

The attacker — Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, age 41, of Dearborn Heights, a Lebanese-born man who became a citizen in 2016 — made a video before the attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, saying he wanted to "kill as many of them as I possibly can," said Jennifer Runyan, head of the FBI in Detroit, in announcing the development at a news conference, adding that his search history indicated he wanted to find "the largest gathering of Israelis in the state of Michigan."

U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon noted that Hezbollah in 1983 drove a massive truck bomb into U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.

"That is exactly what this terrorist did a few weeks ago in our backyard," Gorgon told reporters Monday.

Gorgon went on to add, "I have seen troubling statements made about this terrorist attack. To be fair, those imprudent claims were made without the benefit of seeing this evidence. But now there is no excuse, after reviewing the evidence that the FBI presented just at this press conference. And, had this man lived, I am convinced that my office would prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed the federal crime of providing material support to Hezbollah."

Gorgon clarified the position that, "under the law, in order to prove direction and control, there's no legal difference whether a Hezbollah commander called this man and said, 'Go do this attack,' or whether this man consumed Hezbollah propaganda and heeded the call within the propaganda to go do an attack. When we have only the latter type of evidence, we charge material support."

During the March 12 attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, a suspect rammed a vehicle into the building. The FBI said shortly afterward that Ghazali died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Runyan said Ghazali sat in the parking lot for a few hours before smashing his pickup through closed doors and into the hallway of an early childhood education area, striking a security guard.

He then exchanged gunfire with another guard before fatally shooting himself, the FBI said at the time. The Ford F150, stocked with commercial-grade fireworks and jugs of gasoline, caught fire during the confrontation.

One security guard was injured during the attack and has been recovering at home.  Dozens of first responders sought treatment for smoke inhalation.  

Children and staff who were at the early childhood center at the facility were evacuated safely, then waited at a nearby building for families to meet up with them. 

Following Monday's FBI press conference, the Jewish Federation of Detroit issued the following statement: 

"It is deeply troubling to learn that the attack on Temple Israel is now a confirmed act of terrorism that targeted our Jewish community, including our children.

We thank the FBI and local law enforcement partners for their thorough investigation of this attack, and we remain committed to working closely with our security and law enforcement partners to continue to safeguard the Metro Detroit Jewish community.

As our community looks forward to Temple Israel reopening its doors, we are particularly appreciative of all those who have stood in solidarity with us and share our prayers for the safety of all who worship, learn and gather as communities of faith.

Even when we're confronted by violence and hate, our Detroit Jewish community will keep showing up, living our values and embracing our Jewish lives with pride."

A March 19 press conference about the incident took place in Pontiac, led by Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard with temple officials and other local faith leaders among the speakers. The FBI did not have a speaker at that meeting; Bouchard referred specific questions about evidence and the circumstances to federal authorities. 

The Temple Israel attack was the third violent incident at a house of worship in Michigan in less than 12 months, following the shootings in Grand Blanc and Wayne last year.   

The synagogue was founded in 1941 in Detroit, relocated to suburban West Bloomfield in the 1980s and counts over 12,000 members, according to the temple's website.

Hezbollah was founded in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war and initially was devoted to ending Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon. Israel withdrew by 2000, but Hezbollah has continued its battle and seeks Israel's destruction. The U.S. since 1997 has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group. Hezbollah is also a political party, with lawmakers in the Lebanese parliament, and has had representatives in most Lebanese governments for decades.