Siblings Indicted After IED Found Outside MacDill Air Force Base
Prosecutors say Alen Zheng, 20, placed an IED March 10 that was found March 16 at MacDill; his sister Ann Mary Zheng, 27, was arrested after returning from China, officials said.
CBS NewsBrother and sister indicted in connection with explosive device found outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa
CNNMan charged with planting explosive device at US military base had fled to China | CNN Politics
RedStateSiblings From China Indicted in IED Plot at Florida's MacDill AFB
PJ MediaFBI Announces Chinese Suspects Indicted for IED at CENTCOM Headquarters
Overview
Federal prosecutors unsealed indictments charging 20-year-old Alen Zheng and 27-year-old Ann Mary Zheng, and said Ann Mary Zheng is in custody while Alen Zheng has fled to China, officials said.
Investigators said an improvised explosive device was discovered at MacDill Air Force Base's visitor center on March 16 and that prosecutors believe it had been planted on March 10.
U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said agents tied a 911 call about the bomb to a phone Alen Zheng bought, recovered footage of the purchase and found explosive components at his home, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Alen Zheng faces up to 40 years for explosives-related counts, and Ann Mary Zheng faces evidence-tampering and accessory charges that could carry up to 30 years.
Officials said the device was flown to an FBI lab in Huntsville for analysis and investigators are exploring avenues to bring Alen Zheng back from China, prosecutors said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the story neutrally, relying on official statements and documented evidence while noting uncertainty about motives or foreign ties. They quote the U.S. attorney and FBI, detail investigative steps (phone data, surveillance, lab analysis), report potential sentences, and explicitly state there’s no immediate evidence linking the suspects to the Chinese government.
FAQ
Alen Zheng faces charges of attempted damage to government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device, with up to 40 years in prison. Ann Mary Zheng faces evidence-tampering and accessory charges, carrying up to 30 years.
Ann Mary Zheng is in custody after returning from China, while Alen Zheng has fled to China and remains at large.
MacDill AFB houses U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), which are overseeing Operation Epic Fury against Iran.
A 911 call about the bomb was traced to a phone he bought, confirmed by purchase footage, and explosive components matching the IED were found at his home.
A video claiming responsibility mentioned opposition to the war in Iran and U.S. deportation policy, but it is under investigation for credibility; no direct link to the siblings is confirmed.
