FBI Says Suspect in Michigan Synagogue Attack Was Inspired by Hezbollah

The FBI said Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, 41, rammed his car into Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township on March 12 in a Hezbollah-inspired attack targeting the Jewish community, then died by self-inflicted gunshot. Ghazali purchased an AR-style rifle, 10 magazines, 300 rounds of ammunition, 40 water containers he filled with gasoline, and $2,200 worth of fireworks in the days before the attack, and posted a Facebook album titled "vengeance" the day prior. The investigation—spanning hundreds of forensics files and over 100 interviews—found Ghazali had searched pro-Hezbollah and Iranian news channels repeatedly and had created a video message to his sister 10 minutes before the attack stating he had "booby-trapped the car" and would "start shooting at them." One security guard was struck by the vehicle but survived; no children or staff inside the preschool were injured. Two of Ghazali's brothers, a niece, and a nephew were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon a week prior, and the FBI found no evidence of co-conspirators in the Michigan attack.