Siblings Charged in Alleged Explosive Device Plot at Florida Military Base
Federal prosecutors have charged a brother and sister in connection with an alleged improvised explosive device incident at MacDill Air Force Base, a major center for U.S. military operations tied to tensions involving Iran.
Investigators say Alen Zheng is accused of placing the device and is currently believed to be in China. He is facing charges that include attempted destruction of government property and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
His sister, Ann Mary Zheng, has been taken into custody in the U.S. Authorities allege she assisted after the incident and tried to obstruct the investigation. She is charged as an accessory along with evidence tampering.
The indictments were unsealed this morning, with a news conference planned for later in the day. On March 16, the FBI in Tampa reported a suspicious package outside the MacDill visitor center.
MacDill Air Force Base hosts U.S. Central Command, currently leading Operation Epic Fury against Iran, as well as U.S. Special Operations Command, which oversees all special operations forces across the Department of War.
