An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was placed at the entrance of MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X/Twitter on Thursday.
MacDill AFB serves as the headquarters of both US Central Command (CENTCOM) and US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). CENTCOM is responsible for the Middle East, including Iran and Operation Epic Fury, and USSOCOM is responsible for all special forces operations, including those that may be planned to be carried out against the Islamic regime.
Two people, a brother and sister, have been indicted, Patel stated.
The main suspect has been charged with “explosives offences and is currently in China,” Patel wrote, adding that the other of the two suspects is in custody for “accessory and evidence tampering.”
Fox News named the brother and sister as “Alen and Ann Mary Zheng,” adding that “Ann Mary” is also “accused of hiding or damaging a 2010 Mercedes-Benz to prevent its use in legal proceedings,” according to court documents.
Earlier reports indicate that the FBI started an investigation after viewing a video sent via the encrypted messaging service, Signal, which claimed to have placed a bomb outside the base on March 16.
At the time, this prompted an FBI bomb technician response, with MacDill AFB commanders raising the threat level to its second-highest tier, named “Charlie.”
The FBI’s Tampa bureau on March 17 issued a statement that an investigation into the suspicious package outside MacDill’s visitor Center was still active and ongoing.