Neighbors react after Michigan man allegedly planned shooting at military base: "It's shocking and scary"
A former Michigan Army National Guard member is accused of attempting to carry out a mass shooting at a military base on behalf of the terrorist organization ISIS.
CBS News Detroit knocked on the door of Ammar Said's home in Melvindale, but received no answer. Neighbors, however, spoke about how terrifying it was to discover what had been found.
"It's shocking and scary, but yeah, I couldn't believe it. There was so many FBI and to know it's that close to your house is scary," said Robert Mazur from Melvindale.
Said, 19, was arrested after officials foiled his alleged planned attack at the U.S. Army's Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command facility at the Detroit Arsenal.
Javed Ali, a counterterrorism expert at the University of Michigan, told me that while this is shocking to most, it's unfortunately not uncommon.
"To me, it's just the latest of these ISIS-inspired cases we've seen in Metro Detroit," said Ali.
According to a criminal complaint, Said reportedly told two undercover officers of his plans for a mass shooting at the base, and allegedly provided them with armor-piercing ammunition and detailed plans, including surveillance of the base and training on how to enter the base and what to target.
It's intelligence from the government that Ali said is both impressive and potentially life-saving to many.
"This is just the reality of this lone offender lone wolf terrorism, it's very hard to stop, it's very hard to even find in the first place to make sure that the plot doesn't move forward," said Ali.
Meanwhile, neighbors say they are thankful there was no attack.
"Thank god we're safe. They caught him in time, and that's what matters," Ramona Webb said.
Ann Messinger says she knew Said's father and that he's always been a nice man.
"It's scary, it's very scary. I would've never dreamed of coming from that house; there are good people in that house," she said.
Now, the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating Said's case, and while most believe the 19-year-old was planning this attack alone, there are still many unanswered questions.
"Is this person literally operating alone, or are they connected to other like-minded individuals? Is there a bigger network or group around them?" Ali said.
In his first court appearance on Wednesday, Said consented to detention, and his preliminary exam is set for May 28th.
