FBI Arrests Two Dearborn Men Accused of Planning ISIS-Inspired Terror Attack in Michigan

Federal agents say two Michigan men conspired to carry out an ISIS-inspired attack after months of weapons training and planning.

DETROIT — Two Dearborn men have been charged in federal court with conspiring to transfer firearms and ammunition knowing they would be used to commit a terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State group, according to an affidavit filed by the FBI in the Eastern District of Michigan.

The complaint names Mohmed Ismail Ali and Majed Mahmoud as defendants accused of violating 18 U.S.C. § 924(h), which prohibits transferring firearms with reason to believe they will be used in a federal crime of terrorism. Both men are U.S. citizens, and one of their associates is a juvenile identified only as “Person 1.”

According to the affidavit by FBI Special Agent Nicholas Czech, the suspects had been under investigation since the summer of 2025 after encrypted communications revealed they were plotting an ISIS-inspired attack in the United States. Conversations among known extremists referenced “brothers” — including Ali and the juvenile — who planned to carry out an attack similar to the 2015 Paris nightclub shootings.

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Federal investigators say the group purchased weapons and practiced at several Michigan gun ranges in the months leading up to their arrests. Between August and October, Ali and Mahmoud bought multiple AR-15 style rifles, shotguns, tactical gear, and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition. Agents allege they also visited potential target locations in Ferndale, an area known for its nightlife and LGBTQ-friendly venues.

Court documents show the FBI executed search warrants on Oct. 31, 2025, seizing rifles, handguns, ammunition, GoPro cameras, and tactical vests from the men’s homes and a storage unit. The affidavit says the suspects referred to “pumpkin” — believed to mean Halloween — as the planned day of the attack.

FBI surveillance and phone records indicate the suspects met frequently in Dearborn parks and communicated using encrypted apps such as WhatsApp. Investigators say the men discussed martyrdom and sought guidance from a radical cleric’s family member before finalizing their plans.

Both men were arrested Oct. 31 and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth A. Stafford in Detroit on Nov. 1. The FBI’s Detroit Field Office said there is no ongoing threat to the public.