WEST BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Federal investigators say the March 12 attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township was a Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism aimed at Michigan’s Jewish community.
“Based on the evidence gathered to date, we assessed this attack to be a Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple in Michigan,” said FBI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan.
Runyan said the assailant ran searches that included pro-Hezbollah content and Jewish targets across Metro Detroit, including Temple Israel.
“He continued his online searches with specific search terms and phrases such as ‘the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan,’ ‘Orthodox Synagogues,’ ‘Israelis near me,’” along with other queries,” Runyan said.
Authorities said the attacker later bought an AR-style rifle, ammunition, and fireworks.
Evidence also showed him purchasing a large number of water tanks and making multiple trips to fill them with gasoline.
A day before the attack, the FBI said he created a Facebook album titled “Vengeance.”
“He did one final search for ‘What time is lunch at Temple Israel’ and later deleted that query as well,” Runyan said.
Investigators said the attacker sat in the temple parking lot on the day of the attack and communicated with his sister overseas.
“Finally, and most concerning, is approximately 10 minutes before the attack, he sends his sister two final videos in Arabic,” Runyan said. “He records himself saying… ‘this is the largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan in the United States. I have booby-trapped the car. I will forcibly enter and start shooting them. God willing, I will kill as many of them as I possibly can.’”
U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon said the evidence supports the government’s terrorism-related allegations.
“There is no question that we would prove that this man provided material support to the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” Gorgon said.
Israeli military officials have said the attacker’s brother, who was killed in an airstrike in Lebanon, was a Hezbollah leader. However, the FBI said it has not independently verified that claim.