Explosive device found at MacDill Air Force Base: Siblings charged
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Alen Zheng, 20, and his sister Ann Mary Zheng, 27, have been federally charged after an explosive device was left outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, with Alen accused of planting the device and Ann Mary of witness tampering and being an accessory by selling the car used in the incident.
- The siblings fled to China following the threat; Ann Mary was arrested upon her return to the U.S., while efforts are underway to bring Alen back for prosecution, with no evidence currently linking him to any foreign government.
- Their mother was detained for deportation due to overstaying her visa, and investigators found explosive components at the family home after executing a search warrant.
- The explosive device was discovered after a 911 call made by Alen Zheng, and despite an initial search, was not found until later; residue and evidence were recovered from the sold vehicle.
- MacDill Air Force Base, home to U.S. Central Command overseeing operations in the Middle East and parts of Asia, has been on heightened alert amid regional conflicts, including the war in Iran.
