FBI: ‘Hezbollah-Inspired’ Attacker Plowed Truck Into Synagogue After Web Searches for ‘Largest Gathering of Israelis in Michigan’

The FBI on Monday announced the man who plowed his pickup truck into a Michigan synagogue earlier this month was “Hezbollah-inspired” and spent hours watching content made by the Iran-backed Islamic terrorist organization.

FBI Detroit special agent in charge Jennifer Runyan shared details on the attack Ayman Ghazali attempted to carry out during a press conference on Monday afternoon.

“We do not make this characterization lightly, without a thorough review and keen evaluation of the facts,” Runyan said. “In this case, the evidence shows the attacker was motivated by and inspired by Hezbollah’s militant ideology.”

Runyan said Ghazali was aiming to cause as much harm to local Jews as possible and had searched online for the “largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan.” She said Ghazali watched and searched for content from Hezbollah and Iranian news channels leading up to his attempted murder spree on March 12, including one Iranian fatwah that called for “total jihad” against the U.S. military.

Ghazali sent his sister videos and messages that stated his “intent to commit a mass terrorist attack” and affirmed he was inspired by Hezbollah, Runyan said. She said Ghazali sent those messages from the parking lot of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, right before driving his truck into the building.

“These communications included statements expressing a commitment to commit violent action, references to martyrdom, as well as threats to attack what he described as the ‘largest gathering of Israelis in Michigan,'” Runyan said.

He sent his sister verses from the Quran and a meme that read “Jihad is the gateway to heaven, one that God opens to his chosen ones,” according to photos Runyan showed the press.

She explained he attempted to buy a gun from two stores in the days leading up the attack and was unable to do so; he later bought a rifle and 300 rounds of ammunition from a gun store in Dearborn Heights.

The 41-year-old Ghazali was shot and killed when he exchanged gunfire with the temple’s security guard after he drove into the building. No one else was injured.

Watch above via Fox News.

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