The FBI, on Thursday, announced indictments against a brother and sister who are charged with an attempted bombing they allegedly attempted to carry out at Florida's MacDill Air Force Base.
A third sibling has reportedly fled to China.
JUST IN: FBI Tampa has obtained indictments against a brother and sister in connection with a possible explosive device found at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 26, 2026
Federal investigators say 20-year-old Alen Zheng fled to China after allegedly planting the device outside a gate… pic.twitter.com/yxDnLesLdx
The post continues:
...20-year-old Alen Zheng fled to China after allegedly planting the device outside a gate at the base which houses the headquarters of U.S. Central Command.
His sister, 27-year-old Ann Mary Zheng, is in custody and faces charges of evidence tampering and being an accessory after the fact.
A Fox News report has more details.
A brother and sister have been indicted after authorities say one of them planted a potentially deadly explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Florida — then fled to China, while their mother is now in ICE custody after allegedly telling investigators her son confessed to the plot.
The FBI said Alen Zheng, who is believed to have planted the device, is currently in China. He is facing charges of attempted damage to government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device and possession of an unregistered destructive device, which carry a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
The brother is in China, and likely out of the FBI's reach. But his sister is not.
FBI Tampa also arrested his sister, Ann Mary Zheng, who is charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with evidence, facing up to 30 years in prison.
She is accused of hiding or damaging a 2010 Mercedes-Benz to prevent its use in legal proceedings, court documents show.
Prosecutors allege that on March 11, the day after the bomb was planted, the siblings attempted to cover their tracks by selling the vehicle to car dealer CarMax. Despite being vacuumed and cleaned, investigators later discovered trace explosive residue inside the vehicle.
There has been a troubling increase in acts and attempted acts of terror right here in the United States, although this one, in that it was allegedly perpetrated by Chinese nationals, is a tad unusual.
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The attempt involved a likely viable device - meaning it would go bang.
On March 10, Alen Zheng allegedly planted an improvised explosive device (IED) in a secluded location outside the base's visitor center.
Minutes later, officials claim he placed a cryptic 911 call stating a bomb had been planted, but refused to provide the exact location.
The device, which officials noted was potentially "very deadly," failed to detonate.
We'll be watching the trial with great interest.
Once again, we have allowed millions of people into the United States, many, perhaps mostly, unscreened and unvetted, and this is what we can expect to see as a result. This one, this improvised device, didn't go off. The next one might.
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